Knocking on Heaven's Door
by little-warrior
Summary: After the Kadaj incident, Rufus decides to change Shin-Ra's policy. But not everyone is happy about it and he soon finds himself facing the only enemy he thought he'd never face; Shin-Ra itself. He is helped by the only person who'd never help him: Tifa.
1. A new policy

_So, my first try on a longer story regarding FF7. Basically, it is going to be about Rufus and Tifa. And maybe a bit TsengxElena, but I don't know about that__, yet. _

_The story__ starts about half a year after Advent Children, but as far as I am planning it, the main storyline will take place about half a year later._

_Be warned, I am not a native speaker, but I'll try to do my best._

_By the way, in case you don't know, couldn't have guessed or just might want to sue me: I own none of the characters of this story, they all belong to Square Universe. Nor do I intend to make any money out of this story._

_If you do want to sue me: it's not worth it. I barely own my computer._

_**Edit: Here, I am thanking Sorceress Damia for beta-reading this story and helping me with all grammatical problems and for adding some suggestions which really spice the story up (I think so, you go on an**__**d judge ^^). So, over the next few weeks, the chapters will be corrected.  
Thanks a million, Damia!!!! **_

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Chapter One: A New Policy

Tseng entered the break room and turned to the coffee machine, not even looking around him. Rufus had decided to stop coming to the room and locked himself up in his office again. And he didn't like it. He wasn't about to admit it but it hurt him. After all his years of service, and all they had been through; after all the time they had spent at his side, the long period of suffering after the explosion and -most recently, just when he had seemed to have recovered, the infection with Geostigma.

In the background, Reno was laughing at something; he heard Elena's hesitant laugh and felt his heart twist. He had never believed he should hear that sound again. Though, it had been over half a year now. Though the nights when he awoke sweating with fright were growing less. Still, he would do it all over again if he had to.

He pushed the button, half leaning to the wall, and listened to the noise the machine made as it slowly set to work. He was far too gloomy for his own good. The day had been exhausting again. The only highlight had been when Heidegger and Scarlet had left Rufus' office infuriated only half an hour ago. Scarlet had shouted at Tseng, demanding to know if he couldn't get the boy to listen to at least a bit of common sense. Perhaps Scarlet had forgotten that everyone else and most of all she, too, were aging. But even if Rufus had still been a teenager, even if he hadn't shut everyone out and gone back to scheming, there had never been a way to force him to do anything he didn't want to do, anyway.

Tseng thought of the piles of paperwork that still needed attention. One thing for sure, rebuilding a civilisation took far more work than destroying one.

The noise of boiling water drowned the voices behind him as he was thinking. If he told them about Scarlet and Heidegger, Reno would laugh his head off, Rude's glasses would gleam a bit brighter, and Elena would smile, just a little bit. But that smile would be worth it.

He took a mug from the cupboard and the pot of fresh coffee from the machine.

"You can make two of them." The voice was soft and followed by a lean frame that entered the room, hesitant.

Without a comment, Tseng took another mug from the cupboard and filled it with coffee before he took one up and handed the other to Rufus.

In silence, both of them went to the arrangement of couches around the low glass table; Tseng sitting down first, in his habitual place, and Rufus moving around the table to the armchair that had been placed there several ages ago for him.

The talk of the other three Turks abruptly stopped as he sat down, Reno's face broke into a mixture of delight and puzzlement, Rude's glasses tilted just a bit and Elena's eyes studied the white form before they travelled to Tseng's, as if they needed reassurance. Tseng leaned back, sipping at his coffee.

Rufus was holding the mug in both hands, looking into the dark liquid. He didn't like coffee.

"About half an hour ago, Scarlet and Heidegger came stalking from Rufus' office." Tseng started thoughtfully and took another sip. The other three had focussed their attention on him again, Reno sucking at a beer bottle. Only Elena's eyes were wandering back to Rufus from time to time. Rufus carefully brought the mug against his lips as Tseng went on.

Their reactions were just as he had predicted them, and he felt a jolt as he studied the small smile on Elena's lips. Rufus sipped at his coffee again, a smile venturing over his lips. "I told them I would change our policy." A smirk crossed his features. "Tseng, you might better double my security staff."

"They took it that badly?" Reno asked, somehow managing to create a sentence between bottle and mouth. "They've got to be used to it by now, don't they?"

So he had finished scheming. "I see." Tseng murmured. In his head two and two were adding up. And quite much in the way he had hoped they would, but never believed they could. No wonder Scarlet and Heidegger had been infuriated. "So we haven't been collecting those patents and Hojo's results for nothing."

Rufus looked up, gave some sort of a nod, and dropped the bomb almost casually. "Shin-Ra will be going green."

Silence. Three pairs of eyes were searching their boss's face for any hints of a joke. There was none. Tseng took a sip at his coffee and hid a smile. He had been around the heir nearly since the boy's mid-teens. He was used to having brilliant (and not quite so brilliant) ideas dropped upon him. But this one was certainly worth the long phase of self-centred brooding. It was ingenious.

Meanwhile the voices of his three subordinates rose in an uproar. Rufus was leaning back, a satisfied smirk crossing his lips as he interrupted their protest. "You are asking the wrong question. It is not 'why?' but 'why not?'" His hand travelled around the mug, the vapour winding around his fingers as he did so. "Power plants other than mako reactors have to be built anyway. Why spend millions of gil on antiquated technology with a degree of efficiency scarcely above 20 % if we've got technologies at our hands that are far more efficient? Why pay millions of gil for oil plants, or oil itself, if sun and wind won't charge us? Oil's going to be finished sometime; wind and sun won't. That is, not in the next few million years."

Silence again. Three pairs of eyes were staring at him and Rufus was clearly enjoying it. "Going green is _the_ most profitable option, and thus suggesting itself. Really" Rufus gave a condescending laugh and flicked his hair. "All those tree huggers are stupid digging for oil."

Silence for several moments, before Rufus broke it, in a low voice: "Besides, we – I – Shin-Ra owes it to the planet." He vortexed the vapour with his index finger and lifted his head to meet Tseng's eyes. His co-workers might have been stunned by his words, but it wasn't until Tseng's eyes did not meet with two perfectly blue ones that he became as stunned as them.

"_Shachou, excuse me, but what is wrong with your eye?" _

About one month after the Kadaj-incident, the iris of his eye - the one that had been infected with Geostigma - had slowly started changing from its restored light blue first, to a lighter blue which faded, until eventually no colour had been left and the blood shone through.

Just for a second, Tseng's eyes trailed to the right hand which was holding the mug again. He had always been pale, but even the fair light couldn't blur the white blotch on the back of his hand with the rest of his skin, though it did blur it with the whitewashed walls and the pristine white of his clothes.

In the same moment, his eyes were back on Rufus', but he saw that the other had noticed his distraction. The edges of the mouth twisted up in a short smile, too short to tell whether it had been contemptuous. It was time for contacts, then, at last.

"Well… at least it _will_ make Shin-Ra popular for a change", Elena remarked.

"Mattaku! I'm _so_ going to love watching the price for oil plants crash when we sell ours!" Reno laughed. "Gaia! That'll be a laugh!"

"Scarlet actually shouted at me that my father would be turning in his grave if he knew."

Reno raised his half empty bottle. "Well, then, this is to your father turning in his grave!"

The smirk on Rufus' face was snide as he, too, lifted his mug. "To the old man, turning in his grave."

"To Shin-Ra, going green." Elena was lifting her glass of water.

"Shin-Ra." Rude's glass was half empty.

Tseng raised his mug, thoughtfully. "To repaying the planet."

* * *

_So, this is the first chapter. I plan to get Rufus in quite a lot of trouble through his new policy which should bring him, through several unfortunate circumstances, into Tifa's company._

_As you may have noticed, I revived Scarlet and Heidegger. I am in need of some villains and I thought it a bit nicer to give that part to someone who is already known. _

_I'd be very happy about reviews in any case ^^_

_Thanks a lot ^^_


	2. A party in a park

_Second chapter now. I do fear it's a bit longer but I hope you'll enjoy nonetheless. _

_**Edit: Thanks to the gorgeous help of Sorceress Damia for beta-reading this chapter, too! She's really doing a great job!

* * *

**_

Chapter two: A party in a park

The alarm clock rang but Tifa would have woken without it regardless. It was around this time that the machines outside her window started working, clanking, clunking and making a general racket that could be heard anywhere within a two-mile radius.

She rubbed her eyes groggily and set up. Sunlight was falling through the half drawn curtains. Her eyes travelled to the bed next to her and, even though she had known, her heart skipped a beat as she found it empty again.

The first month after the Kadaj-incident had been perfect. Cloud had taken care of the children, spent the nights at home, they breakfasted together, life had been perfect and she had thought that it would go on like this till the end of days. It hadn't. It had barely lasted a month before she found Cloud's bed empty in the morning and a small note in the kitchen saying he would be back.

Naturally, this had happened around the same time as the trouble with the white blotches on Denzel's skin had started. Tifa sighed. Who knew if he'd ever come back? Nobody had seen him in weeks.

In the kitchen, she laid the table. Outside, the machines were starting again. Through the small windows and a little bit too dirty windows, she could watch the new buildings soaring up; flats, offices, housings, schools, supermarkets, an entire city. In what short time had passed after the Kadaj Incident, the entire town had been cleared nearly entirely of the rubble. The only heap of rubble _she _still knew was two blocks away.

At first, people had wondered about the large wheels that were shooting from the ground, the wide network of small pipes laid down all over town, the large solar panels, the way rivers in the surrounding were suddenly engaged into building and thousands of different. All of a sudden, there were strangest kinds of machines appearing like weeds after a heavy rain.

And then they had heard the rumour that Shin-Ra had sold a great deal of oil plants. It was only then that it occurred to most that Shin-Ra was actually going green, was actually serious about repaying the planet.

And suddenly, the air had been filled with praises for Shin-Ra.

Only Tifa doubted, for she saw very clearly that going green was just the most efficient way of making money these days. While everyone else was fighting over oil, Shin-Ra was using resources they didn't have to pay for. The rumour that all patents on renewable energies had been bought up by Shin-Ra just confirmed her in her suspicion.

The sound of bare feet on the stair drew her from her thoughts. Marlene appeared first, still sleepy but already dressed, followed by a not quite so sleepy Denzel.

"Morning!", he greeted the entire room happily, a flood of cheerfulness following him inside as he dropped himself on his seat. Even the light bulb on the ceiling flickered.

"I dreamt of Cloud tonight", he announced, helping himself to some bread while Marlene pulled a face at her as-good-as brother.

"Have you?" Tifa asked nonchalantly. _I stopped several months ago_.

"Yeah! I dreamt he came and took us to the opening of the park today! And it was really great, they had fireworks and everything. And there was this guy… and…" His eyes were sparkling, his voice was full volume.

"Oh, Denzel! Be quiet!" Marlene whined from the other end of the table. She really wasn't a morning's person.

"Marlene, watch your language. Denzel, I'm sure you had a wonderful dream, but please don't be so loud so early in the morning." Tifa felt a headache building up behind her temples.

"But we _are_ going to the opening ceremony tonight, aren't we?"

Marlene didn't protest. Suddenly, her eyes were very eagerly fixed on her, too. "Please, Tifa!"

Tifa sighed. She really didn't want to go. She still mistrusted Shin-Ra and there was no way she wanted to have her children anywhere close to them. But on the other hand, forbidding them to go was the wrong way to approach the problem. It wouldn't keep them from holding Shin-Ra in awe. Rather on the opposite. But if she took them and pointed out to them how Shin-Ra was trying to seduce them, they might learn to be careful.

And, somehow, she longed to be out of this bar at least for one night.

"Okay", she nodded, "We will go."

Both children cheered and burst up, hugging her violently and thanking her. Ten minutes later, they were off to school, still chattering excitedly. After seeing them off, Tifa went upstairs, back to bed to catch up on those hours of sleep she had lost during the night when the bar had been open.

Maybe it wasn't too bad. She hadn't been among people for weeks, and she longed for a bit more chit-chat than just on the phone with Yuffie or Barret or any of her friends, all too far away. Maybe…, if she went, maybe someone even knew about Cloud…

****

"The area is secured. Although you should probably wear a west."

"Didn't you just say the area was secure?"

"You haven't made yourself very popular over the last few years. Somebody may still try to attack you. It's you first appearance in public, after all."

"Then make sure nobody does. I am not wearing a west." Rufus turned back to the file he was reading.

Tseng nearly gave a frustrated sigh. Rufus had _no_ idea just how difficult it was to secure an area surrounded by skyscrapers even if – or because – they weren't finished yet.

It was past 17:00 and they were going through the ceremony again. Or rather, Tseng was trying to, Elena was taking notes, Rude was either listening attentively or asleep behind his glasses and Reno playing with the candle that was really supposed to keep the tea warm while Rufus was half-listening and half-absorbed into his file. He didn't seem please with it.

"You can have the back of the wheelchair strengthened, I'm sure." Rufus continued.

Tseng sighed. "We already did that. We have placed Turks in all the buildings around, but I would still ask you not to leave the area under the solar panel."

"I have yet to learn how to drive stairs with a wheelchair."

"We will keep your appearance as short as possible in any case."

Rufus gave a noncommittal nod, slapped the file shut and took his phone out in the same movement, flipping it open. "Send Scarlet to my office." A frown. "No, now. ... Then have her!"

He closed the phone, sending Reno a long glance who was just trying to burn his finger. Or at least that seemed the case. "If you burn the building, Reno, I'll take the cost from your wage."

His eyes turned back to Tseng. "Sorry. How will I attend?"

"I made it known that you'll travel in a helicopter."

"But I won't?"

"I thought it wiser if you took a car while everybody is thinking you are taking the helicopter."

Rufus smiled. "Sometimes, you're really paranoid, Tseng." He had picked up another file which he was studying without lifting his head to reply.

Tseng answered the smile. "_Somebody_'s got to be worried about your safety, Rufus. Reno and Rude will accompany you to the podest."

A frown. "Where will you and Elena be?"

"Behind the scenes."

"I'd rather have you with me. I don't suppose you'll teach Reno till today evening how to dress properly until this evening."

It was _so_ typical that Rufus was ruining his well shaped plans on the last notice. But he hadn't missed the half-sulking frown that had crossed Rufus' face for a moment; he didn't like to appear without his head-Turk and it made Tseng smile for the second time that day. "I will see what I can do, Shachou."

Pause.

"For security's shake, would you mind keeping your speech short?"

"I abhorrer long speeches, you know that, Tseng."

Tseng made no reply.

His protégé got up. "Will that be all?"

"I think so. That is, if you won't like to hear about the automatic security we will be using?"

"How long have I kept Scarlet waiting already?"

"Judging by the way from her office, barely two minutes", Elena answered with a glance at her watch.

Rufus leaned against the table. "Well, then, tell me."

Tseng hid another smile and started explaining, Rufus listening attentively.

Reno was now picking the wax from his fingers and Elena was chewing on her pencil. Rude had meanwhile gotten up, refilling his mug with some tea.

Turning to leave, Rufus nodded into the direction of Rude to tag along and threw Reno another gaze although he had grown tired of playing with the candle.

****

The evening was warm; it was becoming spring again and, different from any time the town had known before, the smell of fresh blooming filled the air.

The park was filled with people, the general atmosphere of some kind of strange picnic was hanging in the air, and some people had even brought food and seated themselves on blankets.

The children were off playing the twins from the neighbourhood and Tifa was talking to their parents. It felt good to be surrounded by people again, even if the gathering was caused by a Shin-Ra event.

And she had to admit it; the garden was indeed looking beautiful. The small rivers weren't filled yet but as far as she was told, the entire arrangement was suppose to generate energy through the power of water. This being Shin-Ra, it was, somehow, unbelievable.

Of course, the entire show started with several speeches, the first one given by Heidegger, followed by several other executives, all of them prating along on how beautiful and how environmental everything Shin-Ra created these days was.

Rufus Shinra's appearance was quite uneventful in comparison, only announced by the appearance of Reno and Rude.

Following them, the president himself arrive and for a moment, confusion ensued as to who the young man in the wheelchair was. He was still quite handsome, in spite of the patch that was covering his left eye.

Confusion didn't quite lift when he started talking. His voice, still as soft as she knew it, immediately drew memories from the depths of her mind, sending a shiver down her spine. The last time she had heard this voice, it had – very noncommittally – ordered her death. Soft, mellow, as if spoken directly into her ear.

This time, the words were those Cloud had reported – words about how much Shin-Ra owed the planet and that they were sincerely trying to make up for what had been done in the past. That going green was the only way he thought it possible.

He didn't speak long. By the end of the speech nobody had a doubt anymore who indeed he was and he was the only one with whom those words had sounded truly sincere, but even the thought that he could be seemed absurd to Tifa. Too well did she remember what kind of opening speech he had made when he had inherited the presidency from his father.

But then, at last, when the speeches were over, light music began to float through the park as the channels were opened and water, mixed with flourescencing fluids and accompanied by fireworks, filled the various watercourses. Colours mixed into new colours, some changing from red to green as they fell, then, as they continued floating, over yellow back to red, before they fell again. The children were in awe and Tifa had to admit that the show was worth watching.

It was nothing like the military parades Shin-Ra had held before but of a different magic, at least as impressing as the parades, fireworks lighting the park, the music artfully underlying the show. It was worth coming, it was worth watching and for a moment, Tifa had to remind herself that she didn't believe in Shin-Ra's hollow promises.

As Denzel and Marlene were playing the two twins, who were watched over their parents like they were the most precious in the world and not quite able to think on their own, she took the liberty of strolling through the park on her own.

To her surprise, she realized that the park was stretching into a far greater length than she had imagined. The plants were still rather small but as well kept as promised. What had once been one of the most infamous quarters in Midgar would now become one of its most beautiful. The further she went, the more the light from the feast diminished until she found herself in almost entire darkness between half grown trees and half-planted scrubs. She lost herself in what in what was to become a thicket and her senses began to take over again.

The first thing she noticed beyond any doubt was that she wasn't alone anymore. The second, that whoever was with her was following her, and closing in. The third, that it wasn't just one but several.

In the next second, the air around her filled with shots.

She managed to dodge the first few and would have certainly been able to disappear into the thicket if there really had been a thicket. Sadly, the plants were too far apart, still too small and it was easy for the aggressors to hit their mark. The shot got her directly between the shoulder blades and struck her down to the ground in the very next second, her body buzzing with the sudden release of an electric impulse (electromagnetic, but she wouldn't know until she tried to use her cell phone next).

Even before she could move, strong hands had cuffed hers to her back and three or four pistols were pointing at her head.

"Sir, we've got a situation here", one of the – obviously Turks – barked into a mobile. "Breach in security, I repeat: Breach in security, person positively identified as Tifa Lockheart, terrorist."

Silence for a moment. "No. Single person. No other persons detected in the surrounding." Turning to Tifa who was still pressed to the ground, breathing earth and cursing Shin-Ra over and over again. "…Yes… yes, Sir… oh, okay, Sir."

He shut his mobile. "Well, we are supposed to bring her over."

****

"What are you here for? To blow up my park? I thought you AVALANCHE people liked nature?"

"I thought you Shin-Ra-people liked to kill the planet?"

He gave a scoffing laugh. "So, what? People change. You changed from a tree hugger to a tree-hater? And is that why you're stomping over my flowers? Or were you just trying to kill me as everyone around here seems to think?"

"Changed? I don't believe _you_'ve changed, Rufus Shinra."

"Don't you? Then", a smirk crossed his features, "oughtn't you hold your tongue a bit more?"

Tifa glared at him, her stomach suddenly dropping stories deep. "You are going to have me executed for any reason in the world, I won't have to be cheeky for that."

"Right. And," he flicked his hair back, "let me guess: I'll take joy in it?"

"You won't?" She scoffed.

A sigh, then his face turned back to seriousness. "As I told your vagrant friend: I do feel deeply indebted to the planet whether you believe it or not."

"You? _Indebted_? The only reason why you are pulling up on environmental technologies is because it most _profitable_. Not because you feel indebted. _That_ just fits your agenda."

"Could it be that your world just isn't worth living in without an evil archenemy?"

"Or could it be that _you_ are just trying to bargain with the life-stream? I-won't-hurt-you-anymore-and-be-very-sorry-if-you-get-me-out-of-this-wheelchair? The only one who's really deserved to die of geostigma was you!" Tifa ranted angrily.

"I don't ask you to believe me. Just – if you blow up my facilities only because of your hate for Shin-Ra, I _will_ have you executed. Not for getting lost. You may go now." He turned to Rude, "Have her escorted home. I wouldn't like her to have an accident after she talked to me."

"Leave your Turks at home, Shinra. I know well enough how to protect myself."

She stalked towards the door, turned around once again, infuriated. "You know, one day all your lies, everything, will explode into your face! And I'd be glad to be around then!"

"Whatever."

The curtain to the tent slapped close.

"It's such a waste of resources. Just imagine what people like her could accomplish these days if they weren't so entangled in their black and white pasts." Rufus gave a short and snide laugh. "It would be highly amusing if it weren't so sad."

She was sure he knew she had heard him and if it hadn't been for Marlene and Denzel, she would have walked back into the tent and killed him.

****

Rufus leaned back in his wheel chair after her steps had disappeared into the dark and after a moment of silence, he turned to Reno and Rude. "You two, go to the helicopter. Brad and Quaint will do."

"But… Shachou…", Reno started out.

"Tseng's plan wouldn't work out if they nobody saw you checking the helicopter port, would it?"

"Yes…"

"I am not enjoying the inside of this tent, so get going."

"Yes, Shachou!"

Both of them turned to the exit.

"And don't fly home, will you?"

"Yes, Shachou!" This time, even Rude murmured something before the flap was taken from their hands by Quaint and Brad.

"Geez… every time we are not around, something happens to him!"

"…!"

"He is such a tight-arse! I mean, he can afford the fuel, so…" Reno and Rude's one-sided conversation was fading as they moved away from the tent.

* * *

_I hope in the next chapter I will be able to get the story started. But please tell me what you're thinking so far!_

_Hope you enjoyed it!_


	3. Knocking on heaven's door

_Thanks for all of your kind reviews!_

_So, here comes the third chapter! I hope you will enjoy it!_

* * *

Chapter three: Knocking on heaven's door

The town was passing on the other side of the panels and Rufus was by no means thrilled by what he was seeing. He had never really giving a damn about Midgar and the surrounding hadn't improved much in this part of town.

Rather bored, he took the annoying patch from his eye. His Turks were sitting in the front and it would be Tseng who would welcome him at the headquarter; the other Turks would stay inside the car.

Had it been wise to appear in a wheelchair? Most people inside the headquarters knew he was capable of walking but… it made him look a lot more fragile. If he appeared to be at least a bit crippled, people wouldn't fear him as much. In the end, they'd know. And then, it could all be blamed on geostigma which would still be giving him pains when standing over longer periods. Officially. For now it was important that they trusted Shin-Ra again.

And the patch? It couldn't be helped. He'd be damned if he ever let anyone know about his eye. Or that his skin was as white as his clothes in some places. Or about his eyesight which…

In the same moment, he realized that the car was slowing down and that they surely hadn't arrived yet. In the next, through the windows, that the street in front of them was blocked by a mountain of rubble. He didn't even have time to lean forward and ask what was going on before the vehicle was hit by an explosive object. The car was quite abruptly lifted into the air, turned and slammed onto the ground again, rolling, once, twice, thrice, crashed into another heap of rubble, shattering stones and debris over the entire street. His head was jerked wildly around, he slammed into his seatbelt, the door, his seat, glass shattered, filling the air, the weapon in his jacket was hammered against his rips, nearly smashing them, pain drew every breath from his lungs until he was just hanging limply in his seatbelt, gasping in pain.

The air around him was filled with the fine dust of the debris, his nose and throat were choking with it as he tried to breath.

Only slowly it came to him that the car had stopped overturning and that he was hanging, head down, in his seatbelt. He couldn't see anything, the air was filled too much with dust. But he knew he had to get out. Trying to keep himself from slamming into the ground, he pressed his hand against he roof, fingering with the other for the seatbelt, his mind still dizzy. When his fingers managed to push the button at last, his other hand almost immediately gave way under his weight and he slammed, head first, into a slippery paste of dust and liquid that was dripping through the shattered panel to the driver's cabin. It didn't need Quaint's dead eyes starring at him to realize exactly what it was.

He forced himself to turn to his stomach, coughing from the dust, hurting, his head hammering.

A window was broken and he forced himself to his knees, hands slipping on the glass on the floor – safety glass, thank whoever people were believing in these days.

The window was small but somehow, he managed to squeeze himself through, grasping to the debris outside to pull himself, coughing in the dust that was clotting his eyelids, clinging everywhere.

Outside at last, he tried to struggle up, lost his balance again as a rock slipped under his feet, fell over, his knees hammering painfully against a concrete block, the jacket tearing on an edge, his hands grasping to a rusty piece of iron, tearing a gash into his hand.

He got up, felt with the other hand for his gun and tried to move without falling. Whoever had fired at them was certainly not satisfied with just blowing a car from its tracks. They'd certainly wanted to make sure that their object was dead, too. Thus, most likely him.

He stumbled again, coughed, the handle of his pistol already slippery with blood. Hopefully, the five Turks who had followed in a separate car were still alive.

He was slowly reaching the end of the debris, his legs scratched by the iron that stuck out from the blocks of concrete, trousers torn. Still, he couldn't see much through the cloud of dust, coughed through his sleeve and released the safety of his gun before he fought his way from the dust cloud onto what seemed to be an area almost cleared from rubble.

He sighed in relief, nearly, as he saw the other car unharmed and four of the Turks swarming around.

****

Of course, it was already dark when Tifa returned, even though she hadn't tried to shake any pursuers off; they knew where she was living, anyway. She was still fuming. Damn Shin-Ra. If she ever had the chance to kill Rufus Shinra, she would. Delightfully.

The first thing she realized when coming closer to Seventh Heaven was that the smell of fire was hanging in the air. Next, she saw the shine of a fire and that a crowd had gathered around the burning wreckage of a car.

For a moment, she felt tempted to close in and ask what was going on. In the next, she realized that not far from the car, two bodies were lying, none moving. Both of them were clothed into a Turk's uniform.

She turned away, quickly. Being seen at a crime scene where at least two Turks had been killed wasn't ranking very high on her priority list.

Quickly, she started walking away at what she judged to be a normal pace, heading for her bar, her heart hammering, head revolving with thoughts.

Quite a few people were driving cars these days but what she had seen of the burning one, made it clear that it had been a pretty expensive one. Which could only mean one thing:

Shin-Ra. And someone ranking quite high in the hierarchy.

Damn!

Her heart bet faster and faster. Good hell, damn Shin-Ra! They couldn't…

She remembered Rufus Shinra's half smirk as he had told her that he wouldn't have her executed for just getting lost.

Damn! Despair was choking her throat. This wasn't beyond them! – To set up an ambush, have an unpopular executive killed, two or three Turks for the show of it and palm it off on her and her friends. Just to get rid of them.

Damn!

She was almost running now. There was nothing she could do! Nothing! No way to proof that she hadn't been there! Nobody would believe her friends, nobody would have witnessed her talking to Rufus Shinra. But surely, there would be enough witnesses who had seen her pointing a gun at a Turk and shooting him.

Damn!

She fumbled for her key, had almost reached home now. They had to leave! Immediately!

"Tifa! Tifa!"

A shadow was waving several steps away from the doorway and she recognized Tori, the twin's father, who came running towards her now.

"They… Come! You have to help!" His voice was frantic and Tifa felt her heart dropping even deeper. Shin-Ra had already been here. The children!

Tori had reached her, dragging her numb body towards where he had been kneeling. "… just thrown from a car… don't know what to do! You know such things, don't you? You know what to do!"

In the same moment, Tifa realized that he was pointing at a body and nearly sighed with relief. Not a child. An adult, covered in blood, dust and dirt, battered, bruised, beaten – to death already?

Her mind snapped into panic as she realized what it meant. Thrown out of a car onto her doorstep. Left to die here or already dead, blood all over the place. She turned, ready to run, but Tori had seized her hand again.

"Tifa! Tifa! You've got to help!"

Concentrate! Concentrate, girl!

She kneeled down, forcing herself to calmness, her hand shaking as she felt for the carotid. The cloth she brushed away confirmed her horrible suspicion, feeling expensive.

"He's alive!" The pulse came to her as an unbelievable miracle, relief flooding her brain. She wasn't even sure they were dealing with a male; the face was far too bruised and covered into blood, beaten into pulp, really, impossible to tell.

The pulse had been too weak and the body looked too hurt. If it had been the Turks, they would have known where to hit so he would surely die. Any moment.

"Materia! We need Materia!" She was on her shaking legs again, begging Cloud hadn't taken all of the materia with him.

"I… I'll be right back!... just… just don't move him! Don't let him stop breathing!"

She turned on her heel, her hands nearly shaking too much to open the door. She didn't even take care to close it, just ran up, ripped Cloud's closet open and began to roam through it. She knew from several desperate visits to find Cloud at Aeris' church that he wasn't keeping any materia there. So it had, it just Had to be here!

Nothing in the small departments, nothing between the clothes. Nothing in the drawers. But – there! A small box!

She ripped the lid open. Saw nothing at first and could have screamed, but then, her eyes caught the cloth on the floor and she lifted it.

One sphere. A tiny sphere glowing in a bright green.

She seized it, ran from the room, from the house, begging that it wasn't too late yet, nearly stumbling, as fast as she could to the place where she had left Tori with the body.

"Is he still breathing?!", feeling for the pulse in the same moment. Tori answered something but she didn't listen. The pulse was fainter still and she was far too absorb to try and concentrate. Tried to force herself to calmness, to heal. Place the materia into a ring and closed her eyes and then, slowly, felt the trickling of materia and the light glowing through her eyelids as the healing slowly set into progress. The old sensation extinguishing far too quickly again.

Tori looked at her with wide eye when she opened hers again.

"He… he's still bleeding…", he remarked.

Tifa felt for the pulse again. The face was looking better now, jar and nose back into a normal shape again. Still, even his mother wouldn't have recognized him in this state. But the breath wasn't as shallow anymore and the pulse was steady. As far as she could tell, the body was in not such a bad state anymore.

"It's alright", replied she, "he'll live, I think."

"What are we going to do? Call the medics?"

"No!" Tifa was astonished at the vehemence of her reply. "We… we can't! There's… two streets away, a car was ambushed and…. I… I think…. If we call the medics, whoever has ambushed them will know and --- they try to finish the job."

Tori nodded, knew enough about her past not to ask on.

They had thrown him at her doorstep. Damn Shin-Ra! Damn those bastards! She wished she had killed Rufus those two and a half hours ago.

"Okay… let's… let's get him into my house. I'll take care of him."

Tori nodded.

On their way up, Tifa decided that the stranger was to be put into Cloud's old business room.

Asking after the children, Tori had told her that Marlene and Denzel were over at their house at the moment.

Looking down onto the unconscious body on the bed, Tifa nodded. "Could… could you keep them – at least for today night?"

Tori seemed to catch the anxiousness in her voice.

"I'm… if they come back tonight, - I don't want the children around."

Her eyes were still on the body. A male, certainly, but there had been nothing to identify him and the face was still coated in dirt, blood, dust and swollen.

"Yes. Yes, of course", Tori pronounced. And, turning to leave, hesitated in the doorway. "Tifa, I won't tell anyone."

"Yes… thank you, Tori."

She heard the door shut behind him while she covered the man with a blanket.

Getting thrown from a car – that guy _really_ must have made himself unpopular. Maybe, if he survived – if they both survived – he'd help her to rid the world of Rufus Shinra, she thought bitterly as she locked up her house.

****

"Sir…"

Tseng looked up as the small frame of a messenger stepped into the room.

"Ehm… they found the car."

He jumped up. "Where?!"

"In… in the prior slums. It has burned out completely and two dead Turks were found nearby."

Tseng tried to force himself to calmness, to keep his voice steady. "Bodies inside?"

"At least two. But it's too hot to tell yet."

"Yes… yes, of course. Keep me informed, please."

The helicopter had arrived unharmed.

* * *

_End of chapter three. Hope you liked it. I hope I'll be able to post the next chapter soon… Tifa really Has to find out who her guest is ^^_

_Anyway, if you celebrate it, I wish you a very happy Easter, if not a very nice (and long) weekend._

_Reviews are very welcome ^^_


	4. A time to kill?

_At last I manage to post another chapter. Sorry for keeping you waiting but things are kind of busy around here._

* * *

Chapter four: A time to kill?

Tifa had spent an uneasy night, listening to every noise in the street, everything that was only close to the sound of boots.

But everything that had occurred were the machines creeping to work in the early morning when bright sunlight was already shining into her room through the open curtains into her face.

She got up, realizing she wouldn't be able to find sleep anyway. And that she would better take care of the man.

He still had his eyes closed when she entered the room and in broad daylight she realized that the bowl with warm water and the sponge just wouldn't do. She had often enough patched men up to know.

She sighed, studying the body, trying to access what he might look like normally. Perhaps light brown hair. No idea how the face could look like. The clothes looked like it had been a suit but the jacket was missing, everything else torn, cloaked with blood and dirt. Might have been grey.

She sighed. Didn't want to ask any of the neighbours for help and stood a moment, hesitating, in the doorway. Maybe, if she was lucky, he'd wake if she started washing the face. As far as she could tell, the materia had healed him far enough that he might be able to move.

She sat down next to the bed and felt, just to be sure, for the pulse. In the same moment and so suddenly that she almost jumped back, his eyes flattered open – or at least the one that wasn't swollen close. It focussed on her and nearly simultaneously, he jerked back, surprisingly quick, surprisingly violent, followed by a painful, suppressed moan.

She made a smoothing gesture at the eye, widened with horror and of a very strange colour.

"Sshhh… it's alright. You are save here. I won't hurt you."

He didn't look as if he believed her, rather tried to move away from her.

"I have nothing to do with Shin-Ra. My name's Tifa." She tried to touch his shoulder, reassuringly, but he jerked back again although it seemed to cause him great pain. He had reached the end of the bed, was against the wall.

"Really, I won't hurt you… yesterday evening, I've healed you with materia. You were in a pretty bad state, to be honest." Studying him and rather talking to calm the other. His face seemed to twitch. There was something familiar in it.

"I think you should get out of those clothes first of all. And you should wash. I'd like to know whom I'm talking to and, to be honest, it's pretty hard to tell at the moment. The bath isn't far… You should be able to get there. I will help you, okay?"

She waited for a moment for some kind of approval, but instead of an answer, he tried to struggle up, ignoring her helping hand. She could see how he was clenching his teeth by the way the dirt on his jar moved.

In the end, he did manage to get up, but not to the bath without her help, where she settled him on the lid of the toilet.

"You shouldn't try to tear them from your skin", she advised him, when she returned with some of Cloud's clothes and a towel. "It'll just open your wounds again."

The other gave her a somewhat questioning stare, leaning half to the wall.

"The blood will solve in water. It's less painful that way, believe me. I nursed quite a number of wounds." She gave another reassuring smile and took the showerhead from the wall. "By the way, you could say something, too." Feeling the water. It would do.

"I will do that." His voice was hoarse, cracking and in an odd way strangely familiar. She turned around, studying his face again. But again, she couldn't make any feature out on it. The tone had been such that it wouldn't allow any contradiction. She pursed her lips. A true Shin-Ra employee.

"Leave. Please." He tried to struggle up again.

"O_kay_." Strained. In spite of the 'please', he hadn't asked, but ordered and she decided to let him have his way. It wouldn't do any good if she tried to force him and if she just left, he would have to call for her help. Which couldn't take more than two minutes. He would be quite unable to struggle from his clothes on his own and there was nothing he could fall onto that would hurt him badly. Having children, she had long since taken care of those edges.

She left without giving him a second glance. Though, closing the door, she caught his eye in the mirror. As she settled down in front of the door, folding her arms, she asked herself if the reddish colour of the eye was just an effect caused by the surrounding discoloured flesh.

Did she still have healing potions in the medical shelve? She wasn't sure. But the earlier the other was healed, the earlier they could deal with the real problem at hand – to stop Shin-Ra from killing her for killing him and killing him in general.

The water kept running for about five minutes and she started getting impatient, when it suddenly stopped.

Still, after about ten further minutes, she lost her patience, worried, rather. Maybe she should have insisted, despite everything her experience had taught her.

When she opened the door again, he was sitting on the lid of the toilet again, head leaning against the wall and obviously unconscious and half dressed into Cloud's clothes. Nearly every inch of his skin was either covered with cuts and bruises or somewhere between red and blue.

The second thing she noticed was that his hair was in fact blond.

Thirdly, even though swollen and badly discoloured, the face was not beyond recognising anymore.

She had to lean to the door to support her weight as she stared at him, completely disbelieving.

****

Tseng sat at his desk, staring into nothingness. He had sat there nearly the entire night long, his head almost empty.

What had happened?

Who had known?

Why? Why hadn't he been there? Rufus had asked him to guard him and he had declined, had sent Reno. He would have come with him, would have been there, could have defended his life or at least could have died at his side.

Who had known but the five of them that Rufus would take the car? The other Turks hadn't known until the minute Rufus had demanded to be helped into the car.

So how…?

The car had been hit by a grenade and had caught fire.

The bullets that had killed the Turks were not to be found.

Where were the other three Turks?

A knock on the door.

"Yes?"

Elena appeared in the door, her face bright. "It's only two, Sir!"

Tseng locked at her, puzzled. "Express yourself more clearly, Elena. What's only…"

"Bodies! Only two bodies and… and they say none of them is – they identified both positively as Quaint and Brad!"

Tseng needed several seconds to work through the information, before his heart jumped. But he was far too experienced in his field to believe only because his body hadn't been found, he was still alive.

"I am having every graveyard searched. Legal and illegal, every maul hill that has been moved in the last twelve hours."

The joy cleared from Elena's face. "Do… do you really believe he's dead, Sir?" Her voice was nearly inaudible.

"No one tried to blackmail us so far. – Do we already have the results on the other bodies?"

Elena handed him the file, her hands shaking slightly. "The… the wounds were caused by a heavy pistol or gun, Sir. They've narrowed it down pretty much…"

Tseng nodded and Elena turned to leave.

"Elena?"

"Yes, Sir?"

"It would be better for him to be dead. Heidegger and Scarlet are never going to pay a ransom."

****

Tifa was sitting behind her bar, staring outside, a pistol ready at her hand. What was she going to do?

What was happening?

Somebody had tried to get rid of Rufus (whoever, he had her entire sympathy) and this someone had tried to blame his death on her.

The most important question now was: who had tried to get rid of him? His own people? Or somebody else who had a score to settle with him?

If it were his own people, she would be more than stupid to call at the headquarter. If it weren't, she probably should.

But however she put it, she was sure to be a hunted in the end.

And then, there was still the problem with Rufus. What would she do with him?

Only three hours ago, she would have gladly killed him. Now, she could easily shoot him and make his body somebody else's problem. The trace wouldn't necessarily lead back to her. Okay, it would, but she would already be long gone when it did. Actually, she thought nobody would really care; Shin-Ra would get torn with power struggle anyway.

But still, Shin-Ra _was_ going green at the moment and it _was_ good for the planet. Would they still if several parties were fighting over the throne? Possibly.

The only argument that really kept her down here was that she couldn't.

She couldn't walk up there and just put a bullet through his head. She had stood there, pistol pointed at his head, had counted down from ten, eyes fixed on the mutilated face and when she had arrived at zero, she knew she couldn't do it.

She told herself that she hadn't shot because there was a slight chance that he had been serious about repaying the planet and changing. Though she knew she hadn't shot because she just couldn't kill someone who was completely defenceless and at her mercy. Or in cold blood.

* * *

_I hope you're still enjoying the story. Things are going to get a bit more complicated in the nearby future, for Rufus as well as Tifa and everybody else._

_I would be very happy about reviews, critique or just of ideas what might happen nearby or in the further future!_


	5. Truce

_Happened to find some times this weekend, so here come chapter five._

* * *

Chapter five: Truce

Everything hurt. He opened his eyes again and sun hurt in his eyes. He tried to turn his head away and it hurt. The room was dancing in front of his eyes, he couldn't focus them. He closed his eyes and when he opened them, the light had changed.

He remembered a pleasant evening, laughing. Then, there was a breach and for some reason he had been staring at Tifa Lockheart. He had probably been dreaming.

Why was he hurting so much? Had he fallen?

The car had had an accident.

He had shot two Turks.

Why would he shoot two Turks?

The car hadn't had an accident. It had been attacked. And the Turks had tried to kill him.

His eyes shot open, focusing on a commode.

He remembered a shadow moving in front of the commode, a face drawing closer into his focus. Tifa Lockheart.

He started up, pain shooting through his limps as he did so.

It hadn't been a dream. She hadn't recognized him. How badly was he maimed if she hadn't recognized him? The Turks had… he chose not to remember.

Damn.

Betrayed by his own Turks, his life saved by the woman he had sentenced to death, helped by a woman who would have loved to kill him hours before… the only reason why she hadn't killed him yet was because she hadn't recognized him.

Damn.

He pressed his hurting hand against the hurting skull. He had to get away from here! Before she realized who he was! But the last time he had stood up, he had barely been able to move. … Wait… he didn't remember getting back here.

Didn't matter. He had to leave.

He ignored the pain, forced his aching muscles to move his mar limbs, was gasping when he stood at last. He tried to move forward, painful and slow progress, but progress at least and without help but the walls and what else he could find.

The room wasn't very big, but he was already clenching his teeth when he reached the door, supported his weight against the frame as he opened it. The plaster felt cold against his skin and he realized that he wasn't wearing anything but the trousers he had wrenched himself into before. He couldn't leave the house like that, so much for sure. Maybe his clothes were still in the bath? They were torn but they would have to do.

He turned down the corridor to the next door behind which he remembered the bath and entered. It was empty, completely, at least of his clothes.

"Where are you going?" A voice asked from behind him when he left the bath again.

He turned around, nearly lost his balance, his body was burning now. He had no idea how he would ever make it out of the house, not to mention to a place he hadn't yet thought of.

"Bathroom."

She narrowed her eyes. He knew he was no match for her, even if he hadn't been in his current state. He stepped back.

"You are in no state to roam around." She stepped after him and he took another step back. "I threw your clothes away."

He didn't answer, had grabbed for the frame of the door again for support, still, his legs didn't feel as if they could support him any longer.

"Go back."

He didn't like the tone but wasn't about to contradict. The less he talk the less likely she would recognize his voice.

She shepherded him back to the sorry excuse of a bed and he was glad when he sat down again. His body was hurting far too much, felt far too weak, the legs had almost given way under him.

"Here." She pointed a mug at him.

He didn't take it.

She gave a sigh. "I told you: _I_ won't hurt you. If I wanted to kill you, don't you think I would have by now?"

His eyes narrowed as he took the mug from her, studying her face. She didn't know who he was, couldn't, or she wouldn't talk that way. Still…

"It's not poison." _Though it probably should be._

He hesitated a moment longer. Whoever she thought he was, she did seem to want him back on his legs. The liquid tasted strange. A potion mixed with stale water and something else.

She took the mug again from his hands, put it onto the bedside table and forced him back into the pillows (or rather one pillow; people like her surely hadn't got enough money for two per bed).

He started to feel dizzy, his view slowly clouded again as the pain slowly floated from his body, leaving sweet nothingness. Maybe she had indeed poisoned him. Whatever.

****

His eyes were slowly focussing on the commode he had seen before. Sun was shining into the room. The pain had reached an acceptable level. Moving still hurt, but not as much as it had before. It was warm under the blanket.

He closed his eyes again. His mind was still a little puffy. He didn't even want to know what he had been fed.

When he opened them again, the door was just ajar. A boy was watching him through it. He looked around. The room itself wasn't filled with many things but they were all rather functional. A table, a chair, papers on the table, some pictures hanging on the uneven walls. Either whoever had drawn them was bad at drawing or just young. The height the pictures had been placed in suggested the latter. And the rest of the room suggested it hadn't been used for a while. If he was with Lockheart, this might be Cloud Strife's sorry excuse for a study. He was glad it didn't look as if it had been used in a while. It meant that Strife was still not back and not about to recognize and kill him.

His eyes travelled back to the door frame to the eyes that were watching him. He looked at them directly. A movement on the other side of the door and the small head of a boy appeared as the crack widened.

The other studied him, curiously, but didn't say a word.

"Who are you?" Somewhere, he had read that Tifa had two children living with her these days, but he hadn't cared about their names. But maybe it wasn't a bad idea to have them on his side. Maybe Tifa would feel less inclined to kill him when she found out who he was if her children like him. And the boy had a white blotch on his arm, too…. Interesting.

"Tifa says I'm not supposed to talk to you."

"But… you are, aren't you?"

The boy narrowed his eyes. "Tifa says you are bad trouble."

"I have to be. Otherwise she wouldn't have to take care of me, would she?"

The boy smiled, carefully.

Silence. But at least, he didn't move away.

"Uhm… Sir,… why is one of your eyes _red_?"

He hesitated for a moment, struck by the question, about to yell at the boy to shut up and mind his own business, caught himself just in time and forced a smile on his lips. He wanted answers, too. And maybe, even if he didn't think so, the boy knew something. "It's lacking all its melanin."

The boy gave him an ignorant star.

Obviously, if he wanted the child to like him, he would have to explain it. Patiently. "There's no colour in the iris. It's red because you see the blood in the eye."

"Uh! That's disgusting!" But he looked interested.

"But don't you have that, too? On your arm?"

The boy looked at his arm. "Oh. That. The doctor says that's just a mistake in my DNA. It's called…"

"Denzel!" The voice was sharp and Denzel drove around, was on his feet in the same moment. Tifa's frame appeared in the doorway. "What did I tell you? – Go down and help Marlene set the table."

She was giving the boy a We-will-talk-later-young-man-stare and the boy – _Denzel_ – gave some kind of a 'yes, Tifa' and moved off, quickly, while Tifa stepped into the room.

"Just because I haven't killed you doesn't mean I won't. I don't believe your filthy lies and if you hadn't ended up on my doorstep I would have cheered your death. Stay away from the children." She put a plate with some food and a glass of water onto the sorry excuse of a nightstand and turned around.

He wasn't used to be talked to like that but before he could reply, she had closed the door behind her, her steps fainting away. Angrily, he forced himself from the bed. He would give her a piece of his mind. No matter what, _he_ was Shin-Ra's president and she had _no_ right to talk to him like that!

The doctors had told him, too, that the white blotches were caused by a mutation. But it was impossible. If his DNA had been faulty, he would not have lived… maybe, geostigma had screwed with his body beyond repair? And what if? What did that mean?

****

He had eaten as good as nothing when she came back and was sitting on the bed, fully dressed this time. In the first moment she had jumped at seeing a blond in Cloud's clothes. At the second glance, he looked mighty differently. For one, not only his face but the entire skin was still mightily discoloured, swollen and bruised. Other than Cloud, he had closed the zipper up, he wasn't filling the west as much as Cloud would have though he wasn't smaller than him and, which almost made her smirk, he seemed to be cold.

"You're sulking or doesn't the food suit your elaborate taste?"

He glared at her, is strangely discoloured eye giving her an uncomfortable feeling. Even in this condition, he still had the air of arrogance. "How much?"

"How much what?", impatiently.

"How much money do you demand as a ransom?"

"Are you crazy?! This world isn't revolving around money for everybody!"

"Good." He forced himself upright. "You'll receive a check for your trouble."

She stared at her, anger burning inside her. He moved slowly to the door, still in pain.

"Sit down!"

He didn't even seem to hear her, was opening the door now. She seized his shoulder, jerked him around.

"Are you _out_ of your sick mind?!"

He only just caught his balance. "Don't spit at me." Turning back again.

This time, when she reached out for his shoulder, her hand met his arm. Their eyes met, both glaring.

"You stay here!"

"What? You're going to beat me up if I don't?" Scoffing, his voice as soft as ever.

"They'll kill you the moment you step onto the street."

"You are loosing sleep over that?" Scoffing, again.

"Don't fool yourself, Shinra! – Sit down before you collapse", sharply and as scoffing as he had been.

"Okay?" He sat down again or rather: nearly fell.

She folded her arms. "Somebody dropped you on my doorstep to die. And I'm not having my life ruined by your sorry arse!"

Rufus gave a nod. "You'd make a good scapegoat indeed the way you stomped from my park the day before yesterday."

"The day before yesterday?" She gave a scoffing laugh.

****

It's been two weeks. Two weeks and no sign of Rufus. Not even as much as a bone, a scrap of skin, a piece of cloth.

He had the Turks search ever corner of the town, the entire outskirts, everything for a body, as long as he had still been in charge of the Turks.

The only thing they had come up with were the bodies of the other three Turks, shot in very different locations.

He was sick with grief.

It was bad enough to see Heidegger and Scarlet behaving like they were the presidents of Shin-Ra, put a stop to all of Rufus projects in favour of their own, how they heaved their people into positions while every man loyal to Rufus was discharged or moved to another locations. But it was worse not to know what had happened to Rufus. Not to know who was responsible. Of course, which was worst, _he_ was responsible, in the end. _He_ had been so paranoid as to put Rufus in the car. A vehicle that could be stopped. _He_ hadn't been with him.

****

He paled. "Two weeks and I am still hurting? To hell with those Turks!"

Realization came to her and her mouth drew into a wide smirk. "Don't tell me your lies exploded into your face!"

He pulled a sour face.

She laughed and it felt good to laugh in his face. "Oh, yes. That serves you right!" She knew it wasn't a good trait of character, but at the moment it just felt great. To laugh into his face with all the hate burning inside her. "God, I'm _so_ glad they dropped you at my doorstep!"

"It's good you're laughing now; you won't get any chance to in the next few year." He snored and she could see fury burning behind his eyes.

She laughed again. "_Are_ you threatening me?"

"No. I'm not. Now, let me just chock that laugher in your throat and tell you what _is_ going on." He gleamed at her, invidiously and with quite some amount of disdain.

****

"What?!" Tseng had stared at Rude. "He said what?!"

Rude had move in his chair, uncomfortably. Tseng hadn't been well. None of them had been well. "I'm sorry, boss, I only remembered this morning. And only because Scarlet called me to the office."

"He told her?!"

"Sort of. She: Can I ride on the helicopter, too?

He: Sure. I don't mind if someone shots you down. Something close to that."

Tseng had been sure it was nothing close to the actual conversation. Scarlet would have tried to play her fading charms which were disgusting Rufus and Rufus would have replied sharply, scoffing with full intend of hurting her. But it could well be the résumé. A news that had frozen him inside. Rufus and his overconfidence. Rufus and his uncaring for security. He should have known! He shouldn't have told him! Scarlet would surely have talked and… a rumour in Midgar was faster then light, especially when money was passed.

****

"The only ones drawing any real profit from the current situation are my successors. Which, at the moment, are Heidegger and Scarlet. I recognized two of her Turks. So, I assume they are trying to get rid of me." He grinned grimly. "To put it short: I am in favour of environmental energy, they are in favour of mako-reactors _hidden_ under wind parks."

She laughed, disdainfully. "Sure. _Sure_! Of _course_! Rufus Shinra, saver of mankind, the planet and everything else. Just _shut up_ with your filthy lies!"

"I am not lying. I am…"

"Not lying?!" She nearly shouted at him. "Not lying?! I have never heard you speak a sentence _without_ a lie! Your entire existence is a lie!"

"perfectly…"

"Shut up!"

"…serious about feeling …." Calmly.

"What about your patch, what about appearing in a wheelchair, hn? Both your eyes are working and you are perfectly capable of walking! What? Appealing to the people's pity so they'll belief you've changed because you felt the planet's wrath?!"

"I play people's emotions, so what? At least, that way they won't blow up my facilities."

"Nobody would blow up your facilities!"

"You wouldn't?", he scoffed. "People's mind's are simple: Once evil, always evil. You don't even _care_ what we are building. You don't even _care_ that we really might be serious. All that matters to you is that it's _Shin-Ra_. And everything Shin-Ra does is evil to you."

"You are lying about your condition, who tells me you aren't lying about the technologies, too? There is no. No! damn reason on this entire planet why I should believe a word of what you're saying!"

"Then stay in your black-and-white past. Whatever."

Silence. Tifa was fuming, had to command all her willpower into not attacking him.

"The way I see it, the only reason I am still around is because you don't want to be blamed with my death. So, if you help me making it back to Shin-Ra alive, I swear I will not have you blamed for anything. Even if Avalanche is behind this and not my people."

"Swear? You _swear_?", bitterly. "Your word counts nothing."

"We've been there already. Let… Okay…." He hesitated. Drew in a breath. "I should have started differently. You were perfectly right that going green _is_ the most profitable way of making money these days, especially on long term. So maybe all I'm giving a damn about _is_ my profit. Point is: Heidegger and Scarlet don't share my opinion.

If you don't believe me, ask people who work for Shin-Ra."

Silence again. Rufus had fixed his eyes on her, wearily. Inside her head, voices were trying to shout each other down, some warning her, others nodding in agreement that he had made a point there. She caught herself that she was about to trust his words.

"It's stalemate", she pronounced at last and knew it wasn't. She could still kill him. She would have liked to. He wasn't helpless anymore and really, if he'd turn back to his plans 'to rule the world with fear', it was the best she could to. But there was still that tiny part inside her that kept insisting that maybe, maybe he wasn't lying. "I have one question still: you claim you feel indebt towards the planet. When exactly did you change your mind? I want a serious answer."

Rufus studied her for a several moments, seemed to think about whether or not he should answer the question. About the question itself. Then: "When I realized that I was infected with geostigma." A smile. "But, of course, you know I'm lying."

She had observed him closely. None of his gestures had suggested evident lying. But of course, that didn't mean his answer was to be trusted. After all, he _was_ Rufus Shinra. Still, she held out her hand. "Truce, Shinra."

* * *

_I hope you enjoyed again. I do still have some difficulties with both Rufus and Tifa; it's not so very easy to merge the frivolous adolescent he seems to be in FF7 and the some what more settled and very manipulative man (though still a bit crazy) into one person._

_And Tifa… well, I think she has to be strong after all what happens in the game and thus doesn't give in so easily. On the other hand, she's always pictured as a very caring person._

_Well, I'd be glad to hear your opinion on this subject or maybe one or two suggestions._

_Please review ^^._


	6. Twisted halftrues and lies

_Thanks for all of your kind reviews! I'm so happy about them!!!!_

_So, here, comes chapter six… I just love Rufus and Tifa. _

* * *

Chapter six: Twisted half-trues and lies

"They found his body." Reno was suddenly standing in the doorway.

Tseng, Elena and Rude looked up. Rufus' chair was empty.

"Where?"

"The waste dump." He cleared his throat.

"How… I had the waste dump searched…."

Reno sat down. "Apparently, he's only been dead for a few days. … Uhm… They say, they had quite a bit of fun with him before he died."

Tseng nodded, his head empty. Despite everything, he had still hoped and now, there was nothing but emptiness. In the edge of his eye, he even saw Rude's shoulders sacking.

"How…?" Elena's voice was shaking.

"They can't tell yet."

Silence.

"Boss… I think they'll come for you."

Tseng nodded. Negligence of duty. Responsible for the president's disappearance and death because he hadn't done his duty.

Silence again, everyone looking at him, brooding. He had never seen reproach in their eyes, not even now.

"I will kill them." The words just slipped his lips before he noticed.

Reno nodded, slowly. "I'll steal the reports."

"I have a friend working at the intranet." Elena.

"I know some people outside." Rude, voice harder then usual.

****

Tifa knocked on the door to the room. The sun was barely above the horizon and the machines had already started rolling to work. The children were already awake. She had had to take them home; she couldn't have trusted them longer on Tori and his wife. Especially after the Turks had swarmed town and some very uncomfortable questions had been asked. Now, both of them were sleeping in the room she usually shared with Cloud. She wasn't about to let them stay alone in their own room when she was hosting Rufus Shinra.

She gave another knock but still no answer.

Sighing, she pushed the door open.

Rufus was sitting on the bed, reading in a book and looked up when she entered.

"Good morning."

"Good morning."

"Don't you think it's bit nosy around here?"

She laughed but her mood was at once a lot worse. "They are your people, you go tell them to shut up!" She turned again. Damn him. "Breakfast. You come down." She'd be damned to serve him.

Going back into the kitchen where they usually had breakfast, she heard the children getting up. Barrett would be coming today to take care of them for a few days… or rather, to get them out of harm's way and she was glad. She didn't want any interaction between them and Rufus.

Who appeared a bit later then the children, again in Cloud's clothes which she hated, too. Both children turned around, obviously irritated that someone dressed as Cloud would arrive for breakfast. Everything about his appearance was arrogant. The way stepped inside the room, the way he carried his head, the way he looked around, the way he hid his disdain behind an neutral mask. Even the way he flicked his hair or bid them a good morning.

"Good morning."

"Morning."

"Morning…?" Marlene's eyes were particularly curious.

"Wouldn't you like to introduce yourself?" Her voice was light but she glared at him.

He hesitated only for a second, eyes travelling over the table. Then, a cocky smile twitched around his lips. "Of course. My name is Flavius."

The name hit her with a jolt. _Lies_. Nothing but twisted half trues and infernal lies. Damn him! Damn him!

"Why don't you sit down, _Flavius_?" She pointed at the only chair left. Cloud's chair.

"Flavius is a strange name…" Marlene pronounced while she helped herself to some bread. Denzel, across the table, was trying to flatten his hair as he waited for the bread. Tifa had told him a thousand times not to do it at the table and to use a different comb if his hair became electrostatic, but of course, it was Cloud's comb and the boy wasn't listening.

Rufus seated himself. She saw he hadn't missed Denzel's behaviour but his face displayed no emotion. If he dared to look down on them….

"It's Latin. It translates with as much as 'the blond'. – At least, that's accurate." Brushing his hair out of his face. No hint of condescendence, much to Tifa's surprise.

She had seated herself, glaring at him and started to spread butter on a piece of bread.

"Do you want milk, too?" Marlene asked on, filling her own mug and not waiting for an answer before she filled his although there was tea on the table. "And what's Latin?"

"What are you waiting for, Flavius? Wouldn't you like to eat?"

He gave her a puzzled look.

Tifa narrowed her eyes, puzzled with his look. Then, her eyes fell onto the piece of bread she was just preparing and her eyes caught fire again. "Oh, no! _I_ am not going to prepare your bread! You go help yourself!"

He gave her a short glare and turned back to Marlene. "Latin is an ancient language. It's quite easy to learn, actually."

She was sure he knew perfectly well why she had interrupted him. And wasn't giving a damn.

"An Ancient language? Wow! Do you speak it?"

"It's not a language of the Ancient. It's the language of a very degenerated culture which chocked on the corruption and immorality of their rich. Quite as ours did."

Rufus took a piece of bread. "I'm sure you know better than I.", his words neutral but the sarcasm evident. Tifa had half hoped that he would be unable to prepare his own bread but instead, he showed of quite an amount of style when he decided on something to eat at last. She suspected it was part of the 'good manners' he displayed throughout the entire breakfast. Hands always above the table, not loosing any crumbs onto the table, knife always placed in just the right angle and never, never talk with something in your mouth. But still answering the questions in causal conversation. She knew not if he did it on purpose (though very sure of it) but she felt scorned by his display of good breeding. As if he was making fun of them and their birth, showing off how _well_ he was bred compared to them.

After breakfast, she sent the children upstairs to pack their cases while she collected the plates. Rufus was still sitting at the table and playing with the candle that should actually keep the tea warm. Hand close, flickering out, hand open, flickering on… next, he would be burning down the house.

"Have you ever washed dished?" Full of disdain and before something caught fire.

He looked up and gave her an odd look. "Why would I wash dishes? That's _servants_' business."

"Because here, as you may have noticed, we don't _have_ any servants. And they don't wash themselves!" She glared at him, filling the sink with hot water. "Watch closely. The next few days we are going to use plastic dishes."

"Plastic? That's even lower than I thought you were." Disgusted.

Tifa glared at him. "Plastic dishes at least don't break if they slip your unskilled patrician hands."

He snored. "Who do you think I am? I am not going to _wash up_."

"As long as you're living under my roof, you _will_ help clean the dishes."

He gave a shrug. "I'll just pay you for it."

Tifa gapped at him, for a second speechless. "_Pay_ me?!"

Another shrug. "How much do you want? I don't care."

She turned around, completely, to the man who was sitting more or less comfortable but very arrogantly on Cloud's chair. "Listen to me. Listen very carefully, Rufus Shinra: I. Will Not. Be. Your. DAMN. Servant. I don't give a _damn_ what you usually pay people to do, down here, you'll do it yourself."

He snored. "Whatever."

She was close to igniting. He was… unbearable. His arrogance was insufferable. Several fuses inside her head were about to blow.

"O_kay_." She breathed in, deliberately. "You don't have any scrap of money on your body nor do you have any access to any account to draw money. So, you can't pay me. And you know what I give on your word."

Rufus gave her quite a bored stare, playing with his hair. "So?"

"If you eat, you clean up. If you don't clean up, you won't eat."

"Ah. Someone once tried something like that when I still was a boy." He grinned. "I nearly starved."

She forced herself to calmness. "You are on my charity at the moment. Even the clothes you wear. You want me to turn you onto the street, naked?"

"You wouldn't dare." Calmly.

"Name one reason why I wouldn't."

"You want your family save and unbothered. If you do that, I might be killed and you are in a hell lot of trouble. If I happen to survive, I'd make your life hell."

She shrugged. "Oh, we'd just leave it inside this quarter. People know you here, but they wouldn't grass on you if I asked them not to. And, hey, it'd be worth it."

"You wouldn't dare." His voice was still soft but threatening nonetheless and a crease appeared between his brows.

"You want to find out?" Somehow, she was starting to enjoy this.

For a moment, it seemed as if he would ignite, unyielded anger flashing over his face. As if he'd jump up from his chair, yell something very impolite at her (just like the spoilt brat he was would do), storm from the room and slam the door. He seemed very much inclined for a few moments, but, then, suddenly, his features smoothed again and he gave a laugh. "I suppose you'd get on well with Tseng."

Tifa breathed out, inwardly, happy that he hadn't exploded. Though she didn't like the laugh very much, either. It was nasty. And when he only was half as much the spoilt brat she suspected, he'd try to get back on her.

That threat was very much dancing behind his eyes as he picked up a towel.

"Not the chinaware! You wait till we use the plastic."

"If I help you wash the dishes, we aren't eating from plastic, d'accord?" He took one of the dishes.

"You ain't used to loose without winning, are you?"

He snored, placed the dry plate carefully on the table. "Shin-Ra wouldn't be what is if I were."

"I'm sure of it." Maliciously. "Nor would the planet."

"I wouldn't talk to me like that if I were holding _my_ precious plates."

Tifa glared at him who placed a plate onto the others. He knew what he was doing, so much was evident. Silence for several minutes. She watched him. Closely.

"Who humiliated you to do that before?" Scornfully.

"Do what?"

"Dry dishes."

"I never dried dishes before." He placed the last dish on the table.

"Is there actually any question you answer without lying?"

Smirking and sitting down on a chair again. "Form your point of view I can't answer the question _without_ lying."

"From _my_ point of view…"

"He's there!" Marlene was nearly screaming at the top of her voice, almost falling down the stairs as she ran towards the door, ripping it open. Denzel followed, equally noisily, dragging their two suitcases after him.

"Denzel! Denzel! Lift the cases! You'll ruin the stairs!"

Denzel stopped in his tracks, while the noise of cordially welcoming came from the bar. "But… they are too heavy."

"Then take one at the time!"

"Oh. Okay…" He left one of the cases standing on the stairs while he lifted the other up and carried it carefully down.

"Hello, Denzel. Doing a man's work?" Barrett's voice was at the bottom of the stairs now.

Rufus had straightened in the corner, face darkening but before he could even get up, Barrett entered the room.

"Tifa, good girl! How are you? Brilliant day, isn't it? You already seen the paper? Someone killed that Shinra-punk! Man, whoever's been…" His eyes had caught Rufus who was answering with quite a solemn gaze. For a second, Barrett was left speechless. At first, he stared at Rufus, then, his eyes travelled slowly to Tifa, to stare at her, too.

"What… What is he doing here?! I mean… you know who he is, don't you?"

Rufus rose from his chair, straightening up. "My name's Flavius. I'm an old acquaintance of Tifa's and Cloud's and I think we have met, too. Isn't that so?"

Tifa saw their eyes locking, Barrett about to say something, Rufus making a short sign with his head. Barrett frowned, then looked at the children who were a bit at loss with the strange behaviour of the adults. And Tifa understood. Rufus didn't want the children to know who he was because – if they knew, they were in danger? No, that sounded too good… In danger to talk, more likely.

"Oh! Yes, of course! Flavius! Costa del Sol, right?" He sounded very artificial.

"Just so."

Tifa turned to the children. "Why don't you two just bring your suitcases into the car? I'll come in just three minutes, okay?"

Marlene and Denzel exchanged a look, Denzel rather frightened. They would have had to be dumb not to realize that something was going on.

Marlene seized Denzel's hand, dragging him from the room. "Come on, Denzel. That's normal. Tifa and Barrett will just save the world again." Her voice was fainting away as she dragged Denzel down the stairs. The last they heard was a protest of Denzel's that he wanted to save the world, too.

Barrett closed the door behind him. "Tifa, what is he doing here?"

"They dumped him on my doorstep – what was I supposed to do? Let him die there? I didn't even recognize him! – He looked so bad, even his own mother wouldn't have recognized him! I thought Shin-Ra tried to palm off some death on me!"

"You are far too good for your own good! And why's he here if they say he's dead?"

"Who says I'm dead?"

"The newspaper! They even have a body!" Gruffly.

"So it's just a coup d'état." Rufus had seated himself again, folding his arms in front of his breast.

Barrett stared at him.

"And what are we going to do now? Any suggestions?" Arrogantly.

****

"Okay. Let me summarize it: There is blood outside the car that is Rufus's. The handle of his gun is also covered with his blood. The Turks were shot by someone who used a gun very similar to Rufus's and the bullets were cut from their bodies." Tseng looked around. "They don't know when it happened exactly or how long it took, but there are no traces of other blood types then those of the eight people involved. Most of the reports are quite neglectful."

Both Elena and Reno gave a nod on that.

"There was no full autopsy on the three other Turks."

Another nod from Reno.

"Talkative people of Midgar's shadier side were discouraged to ask around."

This time a nod from Rude.

Tseng rubbed his eyes. He tried to remain composed. They might have been able to find Rufus, alive. Every order he had given seemed to have been constrained. But those means to find a body.

"Heidegger and Scarlet." The words were nothing but a whisper.

But before any of he others could reply, the doors to the room were pushed open and several Turks stepped in, led by Scarlet's new head-Turk.

"Tseng? You are arrested for negligence of duty and for sabotaging the recovery of the president. Please follow without resistance."

* * *

_I really hope you enjoyed. I' planning to get the Turks involved in the next chapter, hope that I'll be able to put it up this weekend… before Thursday I actually had nothing to do so far (but the usual stuff), but then one of my supervisors told me that my presentation was kind of lacking something. She kindly gave me literature to work on, so I know now what I'm going to spent my weekend with ^^_

_Reviews are very welcome again._

PS: Sorry, just had to add the last part!


	7. Tseng

_So, yeah me, here comes another chapter *flicking hair*. Tried out another style of writing. I hope it won't be too difficult to follow. But it might still be helpful to mention that the Rufus and Tifa part takes place in the morning while the Turk's part is in the late evening._

* * *

Chapter seven:Tseng

"Don't tell me you're cold", Tifa pronounced rather scornfully when she came back from saying goodbye to the children and Barrett. It still crossed her a bit that she had actually backed _Rufus_ up on Barret. That something needed to be done and, no, they couldn't just kill Rufus.

Rufus was still sitting at the table, close to the stove and seemed to be absorbed in thoughts. Or half asleep. Since Barret had left, he had lifted the arm with which he had covered his eye to his shoulder, covering the other with his other hand. He turned away from the fire which seemed to increase in his back out of sheer maliciousness.

"I'm used to long sleeves." _And this west is itchy_.

She sighed, studied him for a moment, eyes caught by the burn mark on his left shoulder once again. He covered it up quickly, catching her looking.

She sighed. "I'll see what I can do." He nearly looked like Cloud in those clothes and imagining Cloud in such a state made her heart twist. She would be very glad if he didn't wear anything that reminded her of Cloud anymore. There was no way she would feel sorry for him.

Silence.

He was surprised she was so willingly promising help. 'Suit yourself' or another scornful remark on his upbringing had been his guesses for her reply. He didn't like the way in which she had looked at him. As if she were sorry and the last thing he needed was her empathy. If she snapped at him, there was a least no way he would ever feel grateful towards her. Or, heaven forbid, sorry for what he had done to her before.

"Reeve isn't a good idea."

"Isn't he?"

"He's very much involved with WRO. I don't want to get him involved in this mess. WRO needs him."

"What do you care about WRO?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, anyway. Besides, he doesn't have much power inside of Shin-Ra. We need to act quickly. They'll soon have everyone out of charge who might be loyal to me."

Silence.

She had to admit she had been surprised that Rufus had thought about not involving the children. She told herself that he had been perfectly selfish on that, too. But still, it felt considerate.

"Well, it's your company. You have to know best. Who would you suggest, otherwise?"

"Tseng, of course."

"Your Turk Tseng?"

"Who else? He is very popular with the Turks. If we contact him, I'd most certainly have most of the Turks on my side."

"Didn't the Turks beat you up?"

"Scarlet's Turks."

"Oh." _There's a difference?_ "And you are so sure that your Tseng isn't involved?"

"Of course he isn't." A crease had appeared on his forehead again.

"Oh, you just know! I am not going to put my and my family's life in line because _you_ have a hunch."

"Tseng would never betray me." Sharply.

"Sure? He's head of the Turks, isn't he? So, there's no way he couldn't have known." Somehow, she seemed to have hit a mark with Tseng.

His eyes were back on her. "Tseng would die for me. Even if he wasn't a Turk."

"Loyalty with the Turks! Wake up, boy, they are loyal to the money, not to you!"

"You don't know anything about Tseng. You don't know anything about the Turks. You don't know anything about _my_ Turks. They wouldn't betray me. They'd go through hell if I told them to." She was sure she detected fury in his voice.

"I'm sure they are going through hell _with_ you! – I've known enough Turks, believe me. If their master changes, they will shoot their old without hesitation. And they _have_ betrayed you, or you wouldn't be here now."

Rufus glared at her, stubborn fury in his eyes. "My Turks stayed with me when it wasn't even known whether geostigma was contagious."

"Well, if they'd left you'd've had them shot, wouldn't you?"

"If there's anyone inside Shin-Ra I can trust, it's my Turks. We will contact Tseng."

"I'll love it to see him shooting you!"

"He won't." He got up, quicker as before and she saw his face twisting into pain, lips tight.

Tifa watched him leave the room. She, too, was of the opinion that it was best to contact someone high up in Shin-Ra. She wasn't really doubting Tseng. As far as she knew, Rufus never showed up anywhere without either Tseng, Elena, Reno or Rude. Or, mostly, all four of them. And Tseng as the head of the Turks must have had every opportunity in the world to kill Rufus. The car accident had been far too elaborated, they had even had to produced a body. For an insider, it would have been far easier. A fall down a flight of stairs, drowning in a pool, an overdose of headache pills, a fall from the top of the roof, hell, he could have just shot him in his office and palm it off on some other Turk, there were a thousand ways that were much less conspicuous and easier than this accident. She was indeed to ninety-nine percent sure that they were, as Rufus said, dealing with an outsider's job.

But it had been astonishing to watch that Rufus had tried to defend _his_ Turks, Tseng in the first place. And _his_ Turks. He had made a difference between _the_ Turks and _his_ Turks.

****

Elena stared into her glass. A tight fear was filling her stomach and the alcohol wasn't smoothing it away. It was so lonely without Tseng and Rufus. The thought of both of them still twisted her heart.

"What are we going to do now?", she whispered.

"They'll fire us soon." Which, with the Turks, meant death.

"What will happen to Tseng?"

Reno shrugged. "He'll be executed… he's been closest to Rufus, they'll have him officially executed."

"They'll have you execute him." Rude, bowing over his glass on the counter.

"Yupp." Reno drained his glass.

-

"They are holding him responsible." Rufus was studying the article.

"Who?"

"Tseng."

"Where do they say that?"

Rufus gave a sigh. "It's between the lines, of course."

Tifa snored. "That'll make it more difficult to get in contact with him, then." She shrugged. "You should probably think up someone else."

"They'll have him executed, I assume."

"Then, you should definitely come up with someone else." She couldn't hid a smirk for at her answer, his face was darkening.

-

Elena eyed Reno who was leaning at the bar between them. There was fright in her eyes. "Will you?"

"Kill Tseng? Nar! What are you thinking of!"

"Then, they'll kill you, too", Rude remarked over his drink.

"Yupp. They'll kill all of us." He slammed the glass onto the bar behind him, the ice clicking inside.

"We _have_ to save him!"

-

"I won't have that!" Rufus pointed at the newspaper. "I won't have them murdering Tseng!"

-

"Girly, we are as good as finished ourselves and _you_ want to save him?"

Elena nodded. "Yes. I'll save him!"

-

"Are you crazy?! You are barely alive yourself and you want to _go_ into Shin-Ra Tower to _save_ a Turk? What do you want to do? Shoot your way in? You don't have your fancy Turk-army, Shinra-boy, you are all alone. It's suicide!"

He shrugged, folding the newspaper again. "_I _will come up with something."

-

Reno laughed, taking up a new glass. "What if he doesn't want to be saved?"

Elena stared at him.

"He couldn't be a Turk anymore – hey, Rude, you remember Verdot?"

A nod.

"The Turks were his family. Tseng's tutor. He leaked some information to Avalanche – you know, the deal were Rufus tried to have his old man killed… Mataku! That boy really was as sly as they come! – If you think Rufus was that nice guy with all the manners, you're quite mistaken, Missy! Rufus was ruthless. A Turk with education and manners. A ruthless Turk…"

"Reno… Tseng." Rude sipped at his drink.

"Right, sorry, anyway, Tseng was told to kill Verdot. He didn't. Verdot went underground. Quite destroyed him that he wasn't a Turk anymore and…"

"You are forgetting Rufus."

"Rufus?" Elena had lost track completely on what Reno was trying to tell her.

"Yeah. Tseng blames himself."

-

"They hit you too hard on your head or why are you getting heroic notions all of the sudden?!"

Rufus gave her an icy look. "I don't _care_, if it's that what you are aiming at. Tseng's been head of the Turks for years. He knows about the entire security inside Shin-Ra. Most Turks are loyal to him. If I want to get back, I need him." His voice had been as cold as ice and now, he flicked his hair equally cold.

Tifa looked after him, quite irritated. He _did_ care, she thought. And that irritated her even more.

And he surely was right with what he said about Tseng's knowledge. Trust a Shinra to make a complex situation absurdly complicated.

If he'd come up with something useful, she'd join in. Hell, it would be great to work against Shin-Ra again! It would be great to feel the old thrill again. Barret had promised to talk to the others. She'd join in if it was half useful. And if only because it was the first honourable notion she had discovered in Rufus.

-

"They'll kill us, you're sure?"

"Sure. The entire Rufus-thing's fishy. They'll kill us like hell."

"Then, we must save Tseng! If they'll kill us anyway, we can as well get him out! We'll run! We'll go underground! We'll avenge!"

Reno laughed and took the glass from her. "You only say that because Tseng wants to."

"Nonsense! _I_ want it, too! I don't want Tseng to die!"

"Rude?"

The bulky man just gave a nod.

Reno turned around to the bar and signed at the barkeeper. "Then, I think we should change the bar." He threw a note onto the table and got up. "Come on, guys, let's go!"

"Where are we going to?"

No answer. Reno just pushed the doors open.

"Rude!"

No answer.

"Come on, guys, where are we going?"

Reno waited till they sunk the bar behind several streets. The area was becoming shabbier. "If you want to fight your friends, it's best to turn to former enemies."

Elena gave him a questioning look.

"7th heaven." It was Rude who answered.

"But… they didn't even wanted to talk to you, last time!"

Reno shrugged. "Tifa called me today, asked whether the job offer to Cloud was still up. Seems the old boy stopped dreaming."

He propelled the door to the bar open so that everyone inside the bar drove around. Tifa lifted her head, her expression neutral. But everyone else drew closer together. Three Turks in the doorway was never a good sign. Especially if they were known top-Turks.

Reno strolled to the bar, hands lanky in his pockets.

"Hello, Tifa, honey, how have you been?" Leaning over the bar, quite obvious to everyone else in the bar that he was rather drunk. "Thought we'd visit old friends, talk about old times – three whiskies on the rocks!" He grinned, manically. "Wait, make it two and a Bloody Mary for bloody Elena here!", drawing Elena with an obscene gesture closer.

"Paws off, you kinky punk!"

"Drinking your head off after your boss's death?" Tifa severed just as asked.

"About…" Suddenly, Reno was sober again. "Where's our King of Hearts?"

Tifa narrowed her eyes, returning from severing several other drinks. "Cloud? – If it's about the job, he only wants to talk to Tseng."

"Hasn't read that paper, good boy, has he?" Reno drawled on. "We are here for another job. Tell him."

"Another job?"

"We are here for Avalanche."

Tifa glared at him, severed another few drinks. "There's no Avalanche anymore. What do you want, Reno? Spit it out!"

Reno exchanged a look with Rude and Elena. Rude gave a short nod and Elena a breathless one.

"Right. We need Avalanche. Not 'we', Shin-Ra; 'we', us. We are fed up with Shin-Ra. The president's death was a setup, suppose. Tseng's held responsible now and isn't. So, we now get Tseng out, which we need help for. Hiding places, stuff like that."

And then? The question was written all over Tifa's frowning face.

"After that", Reno shrugged, his voice so hushed that it was almost drowned by the noises of the bar, "we will see to Heidegger and Scarlet. That'll take Shin-Ra down."

Tifa studied him with narrowed eyes as if asking herself if they were crazy. "Okay…", she answered slowly, went through the room to collect some glasses. The bar was emptying; it was getting late.

"Leave. Wait ten minutes after close up and come back."

Reno nodded and gave Elena and Rude a jerk with the head. Both of them had placed themselves in such a way that they could overlook the room but obscured Reno's and Tifa's occasional conversation from the room, drowning them in too loud and drunk conversation.

****

The entrance of the three Turks actually made up for quite a lot of trouble.

Reno was first to enter, lanky and worse dressed than ever. He entered rising his hand to a typical wave-greeting.

"Hi, Tifa, yo…" He froze in his movement, froze as if struck by a lightning. She could even watch his face collapse, eyes widening.

She had never thought that Rude possessed some kind of mimic, but those emotions playing over is face could have filled a book. Elena just stopped dead in the doorway and gaped.

Watching, she had no doubt that Rufus had been right to trust his Turks.

"Damn you, Shachou!"

Rufus smirked, but no smirk she had ever seen on his face before. "If you gap that long at a man with a gun, I'll be dead. – Close your mouth, Elena. I'm not paying you for rabies."

Elena blushed and closed her mouth very quickly. "I… I'm sorry, Sir!"

"Who did that to you, Shachou?" Reno had moved closer, studying Rufus under the half-light of the bar. Although most bruises were as good as healed, his skin was mostly green, scabbed in some parts and still bluish.

"Oh, you know, don't you? – Didn't you receive my two messengers?"

"The two dead Turks?"

"Exactly."

"Someone cut the bullets from them."

"They were Scarlet's", Rude remarked.

He gave an approving nod.

Tifa frowned. Rufus was very quickly destroying every sympathy she had started feeling for him.

"There's no Avalanche", she remarked. "But Barret has found some places to hide out."

"Are they save?"

"Of course they are save!", she snapped back.

"Have they already asked you to kill Tseng, Reno?"

Reno shook his head. "Not yet. I think they want the big show."

Rufus gave a nod, satisfied. "I have come up with a plan."

"An insanity, rather", Tifa remarked. She hadn't moved away from the doorway yet, overlooking the entire room.

"Where do they keep him?"

"In the Turk's quarter." The information was distributed quickly by Elena. "Room 201. First room, Last Corridor."

"I see."

Tifa wasn't sure what he saw but the expression in his face was none of joy.

* * *

_Once __again, I would be very happy about reviews. _

_And perhaps you can help me a bit with the following matter: as I have mentioned in the first chapter, I might include some esper-abilities into the story. They'd be as scientifically sound as I can manage, but if I am introducing them, I might slowly start referring to them in the next few chapters. So, please tell me what you're thinking on this matter._


	8. Loyality

_Thank you so much for your lovely reviews again!!!! I am so glad about them!__!!!_

_Actually, I _have_ been thinking about several elaborate plans Rufus could come up with, but in the end I asked myself what exactly he did when his father had just been killed and a terrorist group was inside his office or how he dealt with Kadaj. He didn't really send in the Marines to do the dirty work. Rather on the opposite._

_Nor did Tifa seemed to mind too much storming into a (highly guarded) Shin-Ra-headquarter to save Aeris._

_So, I think you can guess what I am aiming at. _

_I hope you'll enjoy._

* * *

Chapter eight: Loyality

Reno leaned casually to the door. 'I want the security system out at 0015. Do something about it.' Rufus had been precise as usual with matters that didn't concern him. So, now Reno was in the 35th story of the building, complaining to Rude about a matter that surely no one cared about while the clock ticked towards 00:13. They had almost reached the main server room and, swinging a bottle of a very sweet soft drink in his hand, Reno shielded Rude from everyone's view as he opened the door with the key he had stolen while Reno was flirting with the warden. The date which had resulted from that surely wouldn't be kept by either party as the male side of the party planned to be almost public enemy number one by the end of the evening.

The door opened quickly and in the same moment, before the camera could catch them, both of them moved into the room, the door closing up behind them. Reno looked around him, a smirk creeping over his face. He knew well enough from bad experience and a lot of trouble that computers were quite allergic to soft drinks.

"Which one?", Reno asked.

Rude was looking at a map at the door, very intensive.

Reno gave a sigh, crossing his arms in front of his breast. "Yes?"

"The big one over there", Rude pointed at not quite such a big terminal. "Is the main one. But I haven't…" he cut the rest of his sentence short as Reno placed the open bottle on the terminal and knocked it over.

First at all, nothing happened.

Reno grew impatient, giving a sigh. "Can't even rely on soft drinks these days…"

Then, a faint smell started to fill the room and the terminal started making very unhealthy noises.

The faint smell grew into quite a strong one of burned plastic and within seconds, the air in the room started getting bad.

"We leave?" Rude suggested.

Reno's eyes went to the fire sprinkling system on the ceiling and the smouldering terminal. "Yeah, we're leaving."

Rude was the first to peer from the room. "Success."

Reno gave him a questioning look. The smell behind them was nearly unbearable now.

"Camera stopped."

"Phone."

Reno typed a number into it, throwing a last glance into the room. He liked very much what he saw. "Shachou? – Ah. – Tell him, it's working. Server room is burning.", and, turning to Rude. "Where's the key?"

Without a comment, Rude broke it in the lock and pressed the upper half of the key into Reno's hand.

****

"Tell him back: he knows what happens if he burns my building." Rufus glanced up the balconies of the stories that were rising inside the Shin-Ra building as if looking out for the fire.

Tifa snapped the mobile shut and stored it in her jacket. "I'm not your interpreter. You're sure your exit will still work if your overzealous Turks kill the electronic brain of this building?"

"It's an _escape_ route. I'd be stupid if I had it linked to the mainline. And I'd be stupid if I had all the relevant electronic stored in _one_ room."

"That's why I'm asking."

Rufus glared at her but didn't answer, directing them to the next entrance. In spite of the late hour, quite a few people were still passing through the lobby of the building. But the receptionist was too busy with dealing with his computer to notice them anyhow.

Though most people were leaving the building they weren't the only Turks returning. Nobody of the staff paid them any attention as they moved towards the stairs. Indeed, no one seemed to pay them any attention at all, although several other Turks asked civilians randomly for their passports. So, maybe the idea of dressing themselves as Turks hadn't been too bad.

Rufus led the way. The discussion whether he should come had become very heated, but he had absolutely refused to take 'no' for an answer. Compared to the days before, he moved almost swiftly, as good as back to normal speed. Tifa was nervous. Despite the Turk uniform, despite a different hairstyle, despite the bruises, he still looked very much himself. And she still very much herself. If someone happened to study their faces for longer, surely they would be recognized. And what, then? Even if they didn't recognize them, she was _sure_ their equipment showed through the clothes. Surely the flash-bangs she carried were clearly visible. But there was no time for questions, no time for explanations. No time for suspicions. No time at all to be held back. Not as this stage.

But as soon as they had passed the elevators, the building seemed nearly empty. As many people as seemed to be in the lobby, none of them seemed to care for the stairs. Even the style in which the staircase was kept implied that it wasn't meant to be used daily.

Last time she had run up some staircase to save someone, it hadn't ended well. With the destruction of the world, actually. But the last time had been with Barret and Cloud, not with a Shinra. Barret had complained all the way up. Rufus wasn't uttering a word. Last time, the prisoner had been a friend. And last time, there hadn't been surveillance cameras all over the staircase. It made her more nervous than she liked to admit. For she wasn't sure that the occasional cameras weren't working. And last time, there hadn't been an alarm. They had barely reached the third story when it set off. A wailing noise that went through to the bones, twisted everything inside, every hair to tension. Tifa stopped dead in her tracks. Reno had been lying! Or something had gone terribly wrong and they hadn't put out the surveillance! They were discovered, to be caught within minutes!

"What are you waiting for?", Rufus demanded, puffing.

"The alarms…"

"It's the fire alarm." If he hadn't been so much out of breath, he would have snorted. Still, Tifa noticed with satisfaction that he paused several moments, before he set into motion again. Not that his words were any consolation to her. She didn't like it that they met nobody, absolutely nobody over all the seven stories they went upwards. Humans were lazy… but _that_ lazy? Worse, when they finally left the stairways, the area in front of the elevators wasn't swarming with people as she had expected, but actually with no one. Void of any form of life. And the wailing went on, over the screeching noise their boots made on the floor as they crossed the polished stone, Rufus walking slightly in front of her.

Even the desk at the end of the hall was unoccupied. She didn't like it a bit. The wailing noise, no one to be heard over it, everything brightly lid, pointing them out as if they had a red dot on their foreheads already. What if Rufus had been mistaken about the alarm? It felt too much like a trap to her. Rude and Reno could have been caught, forced to phone them.

But as they walked past the empty desk, she caught the snowstorm on the surveillance monitors and the hall opened into a corridor. A single corridor, with doors every few metres. It wasn't as brightly lid, but still shiny and cold. The wailing bounced off, overshooting everything that might be lingering at the end of the corridor.

She turned around, looked back, but again, no one, and the hall disappearing behind them. Where they waiting behind the doors until they passed, an attack from two sides?

She nearly ran into Rufus, as he stopped, carefully, too, when the corridor split. Her heart jumped to her throat when he turned left, without the slightest hesitation. Before she had seen if the corridor was empty indeed.

For a moment, turning after him, she indeed suspected armed Turks, but the corridor was empty again and somehow, it didn't relieve her a bit. Every Turk they didn't meet now could be waiting anywhere for them. The corridor was as empty as if there was no life on the planet but them and the infernal howling. Door after door, Tifa felt her ears hurting with the effort to hear something over the wailing. But nothing.

Another separation and before Rufus could walk straight into the corridor again, she forced him against the wall, realizing in the same moment that it had been a mistake. If someone was waiting, they would see them immediately when they peered around the corner. If some one was passing, they were suspicious at once. And the brush with which Rufus removed her hand, was almost painful.

In the same moment, the wailing stopped.

The silence was almost complete. Only the faint humming of the ventilation, Rufus' breath next to her shockingly loud, the beat of her hammering heart thundering into the silence. Rufus' boots screeched on the corridor, nearly deafening her ears.

"Now", he started, barely audible but still it seemed to her as if screaming, "things are getting serious." He pointed with his head towards the corner. "We are almost there now."

She nodded, hoped no one had heard them and inched to the corner, her boots infernally loud on the polished floor, every step a screech, regardless how carefully she treaded.

The corridor was empty again. But the door that was closing it off. There was no handle on the door, nothing but two translucent panels where the corridor should lead on. On the wall, almost chest-high was a small block.

Rufus' boots screeched as he walked towards the doors. The noise really couldn't be that loud, but it was bouncing back from the walls.

He stopped at the block, hand hovering over it and Tifa jumped as he entered the first digit of a code with a faint electronic noise. Five digits and each made her jump. A camera was there, above him, directed onto the block. It wasn't moving. Maybe because it wasn't working. Maybe also because they were watching the block.

The last digit left Rufus waiting, a slight frown on his face, but then, the red light over the door changed into a green one and the two doors slit apart. Turning, Rufus nod her to follow.

When the door closed behind them, it felt like being enclosed to a tomb. Tifa turned around, just to make sure that the light above the door was still green and they could run if they had to. But it was back to red. And she saw no code block on this side of the door.

The sounds, the air, everything was different here from the other side of the door. It smelled of disinfectant, the light was dimmer, but what made it scary to Tifa was that it didn't really look as if it was meant to keep prisoners. It looked more like quarters than anything else. Nice quarters with a private room for each Turk, friendly, actually.

Still, the corridor was empty as it suited a corridor to a quarter in the middle of the night. It didn't feel as oppressive as before, but Rufus' attitude had changed into that of tension. His fingers were mildly clenched. From time to time, he seemed to walk slower. Listening, probably, over the noise of their boots. Listening what for? Turks, because someone had recognized his code?

Their boots were still screeching on the floor, but inside the corridor, it sounded a lot more muffled than before. She let Rufus lead the way. He knew where they were going and she had no intention to step into any trap first.

Most signals on the doors were turned to 'locked', they had no handles here and it somehow calmed Tifa; they usually made noises if opened. Usually.

Another corridor led away, but Rufus chose to go straight ahead, deeper still into the rabbit's burrow. Another corner was closing in and suddenly, she heard muffled voices, chat. Maybe three, four people. She couldn't tell for sure, but tried to treat more carefully. Tried to stop her boots from screeching. Light fell around the corner, illuminating it nearly completely again. Rufus had closed in and was now carefully peering around the corner, a frown on his face as he drew back, leaving room for her to take a look.

Two Turks sitting behind a desk, one of them talking to a third, with his back to them. The desk was separated from the corridor by a glass door. Open. At the moment.

Before she could even suggest something, Rufus had set into motion and into an action that wasn't ranking very high on her list of 'smartest actions ever'. Quite on the opposite, actually.

A flash-bang barely hidden behind his leg, he walked around the corner and towards the three Turks.

The two Turks behind the desk looked up when he appeared in the doorway. The clinical light did nearly entirely away with any bruises that was still apparent in his face, also with every disguise his different hairstyle or even the Turk's uniform might have provided. There could be no doubt to who he was.

Nor did the Turks didn't recognize him. Their eyes widened in astonishment and in the same moment, Rufus stopped in the middle of the room.

"Do you recognize me?"

The Turks hesitated. Tifa's breath chocked in her throat when she saw one of them edging closer to the counter for something under the table. The Turks exchanged looks.

One of them nodded. "Yes… yes, of course, Shachou."

The other was still edging towards the counter. An alarm button, she was sure. Or even worse, a button to close the doors. The hand of the other had stopped half way towards his jacket.

"Then open up." Nodding down the corridor.

Hesitation among the first two Turks. They exchanged looks, eyes darting to the third. He was still edging closer, glaring at Rufus.

"I… we .. are supposed to …"

"Freeze! Hands up!" Suddenly, the second's hand had ripped the pistol out of the jacket.

Something clicked onto the ground next to Rufus feet. Who raised his hands, calmly. _Two_. Without the flash-bang. _Three_. Which rolled, almost noiselessly, towards the doors. _Five_. "Shinra has use for loyal employees only." _Seven_.

"Shut up!" _Nine_.

Tifa just saw him shielding his eyes before she closed her own eyes as tightly as possible. Still, the flash was so bright that for a moment, she was sure she had seen the bones inside of her hand.

The men were pressing their hands to their eyes, on the ground, groaning. She knew they had to hurry; they would recover quickly. Much too quickly. And who knew who had heard the noise?

Rufus had already reached them and within seconds had twisted the arms of the still groaning first in quite a brutal way from his eyes to his back, fighting them together to tie them with their own zippers. Nearly simultaneously, she had reached another Turk. Reinforcement could be there any second now. They had to hurry, really had to be inside Tseng's prison within seconds. And the Turks were already recovering, hers tried to fight back, violently, nearly managed to withdraw his hand from her grip. But she left him no chance, almost broke the Turks arm, when he tried to hit her. The last Turk was staggering to his feet already, hand around a mobile, fumbling in his jacket, she still fastening the arms of the other Turk to his back.

"Help!!", The cry from his mouth banged from the walls. "It's Shinra!", The pistol in his hand shaking too much still to point. "Shoot…!"

Tifa was up, darting towards him already, but in the same moment, a shot exploded very close to her ear and the Turk, hit into the arm with the pistol. Nearly simultaneously, Rufus was across the room, seized the groaning man, twisted the other arm and forced him several metres down the corridor towards one of the key blocks on the wall. "The code." Pushing the man quite brutally towards the block.

The man stumbled, nearly fell, only just caught his balance and turned around, hate edging over his face.

"Damn you, Shinra!", spitting for Rufus' face. "Treacherous bastard! To betray your own fa…"

Rufus didn't even move an inch, but the pistol was on head level of the Turk in the same second. "The code: you live. No code…" He released the safety.

Tifa had stopped dead next to Rufus, her heart pondering, ears listening frightful down the corridor but her eyes on the Turk. Despite everything she felt sorry for the Turk. For Rufus' expression left no doubt he'd shoot.

The man gave a nod, barely holding himself upright. "You win", he murmured and she saw the smirk creeping over Rufus' face as the other's trembling fingers pushed in the digits.

The signal over the door turned to open and still, she hadn't heard any steps, yet. No alarm, yet.

Her eyes met with Rufus'. Hurry. There was still time to get away. Perhaps. Probably. Possibly not.

In the same moment, nearly, Rufus and the Turk's body disappeared into the prison room. But she didn't have a chance to listen into the room. Not even to more than note shouts and shots from the inside, for in the same moment – she hadn't even turned yet – a door nearby had opened, nearly noiselessly. Only by chance, she caught the movement in the edge of her eye, the pistol that was pointed towards her, jumping back in the last second. The bullet whistled past her ear, so close that she could even feel her hair dancing in its wind. In the same moment, she had regained her balance, attacked. But the Turk was prepared for her attack. Even before she reached him, he had lifted to fire again. She just managed to duck, no time to attack herself, propelled herself backwards, against the wall, twisted to the side as the Turk fired at her for the second time, the bullet missing her again only by millimetres. But this time, she reached the Turk quicker than he had expected, landing a blow on his skull. The man stumbled back, his gun dropped, Tifa went after him but in the same moment, she heard the steps coming down the corridor. Steps not of a few but at least twenty. She had seconds. Knew that she had to close the doors if they wanted to stand a chance. She spun around, back to the control desk, reached out for the closing button, but in the same moment, the Turk attacked again, punching directly for her head. She ducked, had to duck, her hand slipped from the button. The running steps were almost there. Hundreds. It had to be hundreds who came. She had to close the doors! But the Turk was too close already, grabbed for her wrist. She jumped for the button, the Turk's fingers closed around her wrist, tore her backwards. She slammed into the desk, saw shadows around the corner, her breath gone for a moment. Three centimetres to the button. Her foot crashed into the Turk's breast cadge, only just caught him. – But enough to let go.

Turks, armed to their teeth appeared at the corner, running, weapons drawn. Her hand slammed onto the button. The Turks were running. The doors closed quickly. But not too quick for the bullets. Tifa just heard the shots. Knew, she would never be able to throw herself behind the counter in time – too far. But there was still the Turk. She reached out for his jacket, gathering speed, bullets already slamming into the doors, pulled the Turk to her breast. Their body became one, spun around its axis, half a turn just in time. She felt bullets soaring, several impacts, felt them falling and even before they crashed into the ground, the glass doors slammed close.

The impact on the floor knocked the air from her lungs, realizing in the same moment that the Turk on her breast had indeed taken several bullets and was as dead as she would have been if she hadn't taken him as a cover.

Still, she was on her feet, taking cover behind the counter in the same second, uncaring. The roaring of weapons came through the glass door. The Turks on the other side were trying to shoot it apart and she wasn't sure they wouldn't succeed. For she could already see the glass becoming milky under the impacts. It was a question of mere seconds.

Where was Rufus?

"Rufus!" She called into the room, picking up one of the handguns on the floor.

If that wall would burst, they were dead.

And already, cracks were appearing.

"Hurry!"

In the same moment, Shinra's president appeared with an apparently drugged head-Turk half leaning on his shoulder, blood on his face that wasn't his and Tifa almost cursed. In that second, she heard, through all the shooting, a sickening bash. On of the surface of the doors, cracks had joint. The door was splintering.

"Run!"

Rufus hadn't needed her command to set into motion. He had seized Tseng's upper arm and was pulling him with him, violently. And Tseng, luckily, was playing along. Sluggishly, pushed and pulled, but moving at least.

In the same moment, they were already running down the corridor. It wasn't far, she knew, but she feared it was too far. Even before they had reached the first corner, the glass behind them splintered. In the same moment, the air was filled with shots. Bullets whistled past her head and Tifa propelled herself around the corner, was running, her feet hammering onto the floor. Not as fast as she could, not as fast as she should. Tseng was too slow. Rufus was almost dragging him along, but Tseng seemed barely conscious of running, stumbling. And behind them the steps of a hundred Turks, far too close, far too quick. With every steps they took she heard them coming closer and the corridor was too long. Too long to reach the end before the Turks reached the corner and would shoot them. Fifty metres at least and she almost felt the Turks breathing behind them. And if it wasn't that corner, it would be the next. And then, surely, the Turks would have them. Sirens were howling, ringing in her ears, over-shouting the steps of the Turks, but not their cries.

Twenty metres. Frantically, she looked over her shoulder, saw shadows growing at the wall. Ten metres, they had almost reached the corner. Tseng was stumbling, nearly falling, a single Turks stumbled around the corner behind them. Five metre. The Turk behind them pointed his weapon, aimed. Tifa rammed her shoulder into Rufus's body, they almost fell around the corner, in the same moment as the shot whistled behind them. She ran, ran on, the corridor at least a hundred metres long. Shouts behind them, shots, hammering boots, the wailing of the sirens deafening her ears.

Shouts in front of them. Suddenly, steps in front of them. She caught shadows behind them. Caught shadows in front of them. They were coming from all directions and suddenly, the corridor filled with Turks from both sides. Eyes widened, Turks in front of them stopping as dead in their tracks as she did. Grinning, raising their weapons.

In the same moment, she was seized around her wrist, dragged into another corridor, saw the tiny elevator at the end of the corridor, the Turks waiting in front of them and the tiny orb rolling towards them. Nearly simultaneously, she was stumbling, the orb exploded into a cloud of gas and she felt something hot piercing her calf. She slammed into the wall when her leg refused to carry her, hot pain shooting up, saw Rufus, already half way down the corridor, turning around to her.

For a second, he hesitated as the gas was lifting in front of the elevators, Tseng half leaning onto his arm. His eyes were on her. She heard the steps of the Turks behind them, knew they would reach this corridor any moment now. The cold blue of Rufus' eyes left her, without any emotion as if she was nothing but debris, fixed on the elevator as he set into motion again. Slowly, then running.

He and Tseng, they would make it. Easily. And she would even keep the Turks that second longer they needed to get rid of her.

Fury exploded in her throat as she saw him turning, running. Leaving her back. She had known. She had just known that he'd abandon her.

* * *

_I would be very glad to hear what you think about it! (And about Rufus 'plan'… though there's a bit more to it th__an meets the eye, but I won't betray more than that Elena has to earn her salary, too)._


	9. Getaway

_First at all: Thank you all very much for your very kind review!!!! I am so happy that people actually like what I'm writing. So, I'll try and be diligent in the future ^^_

_I'm very sorry to have you waiting for the next chapter, but I didn't manage to post it early because my prof for whom I'm supposed to prepare a presentation is going _crazy_. She seems to think my day consists out of 48 hours and that I can do without sleep…. Just for some lousy Credits!_

_Anyway, here comes chapter nine and I hope, you'll enjoy it very much ^^._

* * *

Chapter nine: Getaway

She would always remember how cold and uncaring Rufus' eyes and his entire expression had been when he had turned around with Tseng, deserting her in the mid of the war zone to get himself and his Turk into safety and leave her to die.

And she would always remember how the hand grenade had missed her head by mere inches before it exploded and caved in the corridor, how she had been covered and hit by rubble. How, suddenly, in front of her, the dust had parted and Rufus had stood there, cold, uncaring, the ring still in the hand he was offering. How they had made it to the elevators, barely, before the Turks broke through the cave-in or the other Turks woke again. How the bullets had hammered into the doors and the elevator when they closed, just in the last second.

Rufus entered several words into the microphone of the tiny elevator as it set into motion. Tseng was standing at the wall, next to Rufus, but there was no expression in his face, his eyes unfocussed, nothing suggesting that he was at all conscious of what was happening around them. They must have drugged him, badly.

Her calf was bleeding heavily, the shot had gone clearly through. The potion took more than two minutes to heal but at least stopped the bleeding if not the pain. If they had had materia, it would have only been a question of seconds to heal the wound. But they hadn't. And they had only had this bottle of potion which Rufus had dropped without a comment into her hand (of course, he had insisted to carry it).

The elevator came to a halt at least one story below the last floor.

When the doors opened, cold and wet air swept into the lift. The sound of deafening rumble from inside the earth chilled her bones. As if someone tried to move the rock the building was built on. She felt the floor shaking ever so slightly under her feet.

The room was completely naked but a heavy door and a single button next to it which Rufus pressed, casually, arrogantly. There was a torch standing on the floor.

First at all, nothing happened. Through the rumbling, she couldn't even hear mechanics working. The doors to the elevator were still open behind them. The light on the ceiling was flickering. Slowly, the rumbling decreased and with it the shaking of the floor. Decreased more and more until nothing surrounded them but deadly silence.

The shriek of the door was nearly deafening, turned her nails up and slowly, screeching, the door swung open.

Suddenly, the air was filled with even more wetness, cold, her eyes falling into a tunnel when Rufus lit the flashlight. Water was trickling over the ground, dripping from the ceiling, the walls were wet and suddenly, she knew where they were; this was the public water supply system.

"You can walk?" Nodding towards the eldritch darkness on the other side of the door. His voice hollow.

She gave him an angry stare. "Of course I can walk!"

"Good." Flicking his hair. "Then get going." Turning to Tseng's vacant stare again.

It was scary to see how the Turk reacted to his movement only mechanically, following only because dragged into the sinister darkness.

She set into motion. Carefully. The ground was rough, not yet smoothed by the water.

The door closed with an almost silent 'thud' behind them, leaving them to complete darkness.

Rufus' and Tseng's boots made smacking noises in the rest of the water, creeping up the neck, as if intruders into this peculiar darkness. She followed, the noise of her boots resounding eerie from the walls. The cold chilling down her spine.

"They'll need a while to find out where we left to." She could almost see Rufus smirking as he paused a moment. "It's one of the water supplies to our hydroelectric power plant."

"Can't they open the watergates again?" Her voice was creeping even herself. Her calf hurt.

"Wouldn't be quite such a good escape route if they could, would it?" Pure arrogance again. As if, just because it was _his_ plan, nothing could go wrong. As if he were invulnerable. An escape route… built, of course, to safe his sorry arse. "But in ten minutes, they'll open again. Automatically."

Ten minutes. It sounded enough. Maybe. The floor was slippery, uneven, there wasn't much more light than Rufus' torch provided, she stumbled again and again, cursing inwardly, her calf nearly killing her. It was cold, very cold and water was dropping from the ceiling, hitting her again and again. Chilling drops running down her nape. And she wasn't really sure Rufus had been right about the Turks. Even if this was his private escape route. Someone had built it. Someone knew for sure. And if they came after them… there was no place to run, no place to hide.

But that didn't worry her most. What worried her most was the water. Five minutes. That was the time they would need to the exit. According to Rufus' calculations. But five minutes had been before they had found a drugged Tseng who was much slower. Five minutes had been before she had been shot into her calf. And five minutes, she was sure, had been calculated for an even floor. And not a slippery one.

In this dark, there was a high possibility that they missed the exit. Especially when they were too slow.

And, additionally, she couldn't rid herself of the feeling that Rufus was slowing down. With every step they took a bit more. When they had started, she had had problems to keep up. Now, she had to slow her pace.

Another drip of water hit her neck. Ran down her spine, icily. Ten minutes. She was sure they needed every second of them.

But then, suddenly, Rufus stopped, light hasting over the walls.

An intersection.

"What?"

"There shouldn't be an intersection." His voice echoed back from the walls. Hollow.

Tifa stared at his shadow, her heart suddenly back to hammering. No time. "Which way, Shinra?"

The light scampered over the intersection again, back, forth. Only the sound of the icy drops around them. Hitting onto the stone and the rest of the water. As if ticking their time away.

The light hesitated, fixed on the right corridor. "That one."

"You sure?"

He set into motion again. "I think so."

"You _think_ so?" She stumbled after them.

"I never ordered anyone to build an intersection in this tube!"

"You are just flipping a coin?!"

The light shrugged. "The other is too small. The walls here aren't that rough. It ought be the right direction."

Tifa sighed, could have killed Rufus inwardly again. "Not quite such a brilliant escape route, is it?!"

This time, the only answer she got was the constant dripping of the water. Rufus was slow. The only pace at which he seemed to be able to draw Tseng. Slow enough to make her nervous. They should be moving at top speed. At any speed her calf could manage. Not half groping through the dark.

The darkness around them was nearly complete, swallowed even what little light Rufus' torch provided. No sound but the ever present dripping of the water and the echo of their boots. No smell but that of wet stones and water.

When Rufus stopped, she nearly passed him, walking on.

"We should be there now", he pronounced, uncertain. The light beam spun over the naked walls; but nothing close to an exit. Tifa's heart quickened its pace. Had they taken the wrong tunnel after all? There was no time to go back. Ten minutes. It must have already been ten minutes.

Her eyes followed the light beam, frantically. But nothing. Only stone, bricks, stone… wait, bricks!

"There!!"

"Where?"

"Back to the bricks!"

The light slowly moved back to the bricks, fixed on them and barely recognizable, she saw a ladder leading upwards.

In the same second, nearly, Rufus' watch started beeping. There was no doubt about the meaning of that.

"You first! Help Tseng! Hurry!"

There hadn't been a need to tell her for she was already half way up the ladder, half way into the shaft, not giving a damn about her calf as she raced upwards.

Down the tube, the noise of the constant dripping had been joined by another one. The one of murmuring water. Murmuring water that was getting more and more. Water that was now trickling softly around the boots. Rufus pushed Tseng upwards. Even though he seemed to understand what to do, the drug made him slow. He barely managed to cling to the ladder, not to mention pull himself upwards quickly. And the noises were changing fast. The trickling had started to turn into a slight flushing, water already up to his ankles. And the flushing increased.

Tifa, in the mean time, had reached the end of the shaft, pressed her hands against the lid to push it up. But the lid wouldn't move. Behind her, Tseng was closing in. And the flushing turned into rushing below her. She pressed against the lid with her entire weight but still, it wouldn't move. From the inside of the earth, from far away, she heard roaring. Roaring that was increasing rapidly. They would drown like mice. Frantically, her hand felt over the surface, caught a handle. She pulled it. Nothing happened. The roaring increased, she heard the water rushing below them, rushing loudly, Rufus calling, frantically. Her fingers trembled, she pushed the handle, threw her entire weight against the lid and in the same moment, it lifted. Warm air flooded in, she propelled herself upwards, against the lid, was out in the same second, spun around, seized Tseng's jacket and pulled him out of the hole. She spun around, reaching out, saw Rufus racing up the ladder, the ground started trembling, the roaring broke into a deafening sound and in the same moment, the water shot up the shaft, swallowing Rufus before slashing into her face.

Nearly in the same instance, the water level dropped again by at least half a metre. Her hand was hanging uselessly over the wild surface that was slowly smoothing into an almost perfect mirror.

She couldn't detect any movement below the surface. No sign or Rufus. Several bubbles of air emptied themselves to the surface, but no movement.

"Rufus!"

Of course, he wouldn't be able to hear her. Even if he hadn't been torn from the ladder by the water. Another two or three bubbles. Then, nothing.

Half a minute now, at least.

She saw her doubting gaze on the pitch black surface, smooth now, turned away. He hadn't made it. But there was still a life to safe and they had to leave. Immediately.

In the same moment, the surface burst, a hand grabbing hers, almost pulled her down, gasping for air violently. Panic was still written all over his face and in the same moment it seemed as if he was sinking again. Without hesitation, she reached out for his jacket, used the buoyant force to pull him at least half way out of the shaft onto the grass where he collapsed, coughing and rasping.

"Are you alright?"

It took several moments before Rufus gave half a nod, tried to struggle up again, still coughing. "Perfectly so." He had to pause on his hands, still coughing, before he pushed himself to his feet.

Tifa threw him a gaze, was for a moment at the edge of helping him up. But he was looking himself up and down already, studying the water lodged clothes around his body with quite an expression of disgust. "Brilliant." , then turning to Tifa while he tired to fix his dripping hair. "Well, where's the car?"

She snorted, didn't care to answer. If he had cared to look around, he wouldn't have missed it.

She limbed towards Tseng, a bit afraid of the way the Turk might react. But he seemed to be waking a bit from the drugs; he followed her almost on his own account.

Rufus was already waiting at the co-driver's door of a shabby four wheel, clothes and hair still dripping.

"You drive."

Tifa held the keys up. They had indeed been where they had been supposed to be. "I have the keys anyway, Shinra."

Rufus shrugged, didn't seem to care, sat down inside the car when she opened it. She dropped herself onto the driver's seat as soon as she had opened the back door for Tseng. Much to her surprise, he had acted again on his own account. He still didn't seem to focus on what he was doing, but at least he fasted the seatbelt automatically.

Carefully, she started the motor and ever so carefully, she drove from the park, waiting for Turks to jump at them from every direction. But it seemed as if Rufus had been right and the Turks didn't know either about the escape route or where precisely it ended. Her calf was still hurting, but at least she wouldn't need it so very much for driving.

She didn't choose the motorway from town although it would have been the fastest way. But she was sure Shin-Ra was watching it closely. Instead, she tried to manoeuvre the car through the narrow alleys of Edge, always afraid that a police car or Turks would turn up around the next corner. Mostly, she left the headlights out, edging her way through dark passages, passages surely not build for a car. And still, she had to be carefully. Once or twice, she almost crossed the way of a police car. The sirens were filling the air constantly. Sometimes close – then she barely dared to breath – and sometimes far away when she accelerated the car again.

Next to her, Rufus was still fussing over his hair, as if the situation didn't really concern him. Flicking his hair, until it banged in the usual way. That unbearably arrogant gesture would have made her furious if it hadn't been for the water that was dripping from both the bangs and his sleeve. This way, it nearly made her laugh, despite their situation.

Outside, the houses were thinning away. The Shin-Ra buildings had disappeared in favour of self-built barracks. Carefully, she drove towards a small crossing, the road leading from town. It was a small road, easily missed, but still, she let the car roll closer first, still hidden in the shadows. Waiting a second before she chased it over the half lit crossing into the darkness on the other side, away from Edge.

In the rear mirror, she caught Tseng's features for a moment. The Turk seemed to have dropped asleep. Or at least, his eyes were closed. But at least, nobody seemed to follow them. Hopefully.

She fixed her eyes on the road again, still driving without headlights. The road wasn't broad, it wasn't good and even driving as slow as she was, it was difficult to follow it without headlights.

When they had left the sink at last, she cut the engine off, all of the sudden, listening around them, making sure that no one was following. Then, without engine, she let the car roll for several metres, drove it at least a kilometre further before she redid the procedure. Only then did she turn on the headlights again, accelerated the car a bit more and felt herself relaxing for the first time since they had entered the Shin-Ra Tower.

Rufus next to her was quite apparently fighting a shiver, seemed to be very uncomfortable. For a moment, she thought about turning on the heating but refrained. He could do that himself if he wanted to. And she still was a annoyed. They had agreed on none-killing grenades only. And there he was, throwing a hand grenade. And she couldn't chew him out for it, for with it he had come to her assistance and it just didn't feel right to bark at him. She was – angry. And she was astonished that he had come for her. It was a notion she had never believed to find in him. Loyalty. A spark of integrity. As if there was something inside him that _was_ giving a damn about anyone but himself.

Well, he seemed to, taking Tseng into account.

And against all her prejudices, he hadn't been a nuisance, quite on the opposite, actually.

And then, there was his way of thinking. Regardless of any feelings as it seemed and yet so much governed by emotions. He puzzled her. Her eyes travelled back to him. He was now really shivering, looking truly pathetic.

He had broken their deal, shot people in cold blood, been arrogant to exhaustion. But he had come back for her. She hadn't even asked him to.

"There's a heating, you know?"

Rufus' eyes caught hers in the mirror and after a moment, when he realized she wasn't going to turn it on, he leaned forward, pushing several buttons. Not with much success. After several moments, she brushed his hand aside, impatiently, turned the heating up and put her hand back on the wheel. Still, the feeling of the cold skin and the wet cloth lingered with her for a moment. The one of the skin longer. She shouldn't have touched him.

"You're so pampered, you know that?" As the hot air came in from the engine, mixed with the smell of poorly burned oil.

"I'm not used to heaps of trash on four wheels", arrogantly.

She gave a laugh at that. "You know, this car is actually above what most people can afford in Edge."

"Whatever."

Another answer that could have fused several fuses inside her head.

Rufus caught her look in the rear mirror and almost smirked. It was so easy to infuriate Tifa and he was quite enjoying it. She surely had way too much energy and he really didn't like that she was concentrating most of it to make his life miserable. But she was surprising him more and more. 'Poor' didn't automatically signified 'stupid', as it seemed. 'Full of hate against Shin-Ra' didn't automatically mean 'trigger-happy to kill Turks' with her – quite on the opposite, actually. 'Hate' not automatically 'no sympathy'. 'Fragility' not 'weakness'. 'Hopelessness' not 'surrender'. He had been more than surprise that she had still been able to move with that hole in her calf or the look of desolation that had crossed her face when he had deserted her. Mixed and overcome by furious anger and stubbornness.

He hadn't come back for because of any heroic notions. He had come back because of that look. Because it had told him that she, if caught alive, would betray him. Of course, he could have shot her, but he might still needed her connections.

Of course he did. There was no other reason.

Her hand had been warm when she had brushed his aside. The skin was still trickling where she had touched.

The silence continued for several moments. The air from the motor didn't really warm the interior. Outside, the stars and the moon were disappearing behind clouds. But she didn't need them anymore, she was quite sure they were on the right way now.

Rufus was still shivering slightly.

Tifa sighed, struggled from her jacket and held it towards him. It would be too small for him but he could at least put it around the shoulders.

He glared at her. "I'm not cold."

"No, of course not. That chattering noise only comes from this heap of trash on four wheels and I can't tell because I don't know proper cars."

"I'm _not_ chattering." Still, he took the jacket.

"It's the car, like I said."

"How is your calf?"

"Are you only asking to change the topic?"

"I am asking because I wouldn't like you to crash a car while I am on the co-driver's seat."

She glared at him, had caught the full meaning. "Just because my father didn't own half of the world doesn't mean I'm stupid."

"Oh, really?"

"It could be other way round."

"Quite unlikely. Only 2 % of the earth's population range on my level of intelligence. Thus, you should be to 98 % less intelligent than me. Which, let's approximate it to 100 %, means you just can't be."

"You were about 98 % dead when I found you. Wouldn't have been good for you if I had approximated anything, would it? Anyway, I can either be smarter or not. Nothing with 98 %."

He gave a sigh. "You aren't familiar with quantum mechanics, are you? Or physics at all?"

"An apple hits the ground if I drop it and it'll hurt you if I hit you. That's all the physics I need."

"Never wondered _why_ the apple falls down?" His voice was soft. Maybe that was most striking about him. That his voice always seemed to stay soft.

"Gravity."

"And what _is_ gravity? Where does it come from? Why is it there at all?"

She snorted, not sure whether he was making fun of her, didn't answer.

Silence for a moment, then: "Did you go to school at all?"

She glared at him. "Yes, I did. Four years." In the same moment, she bit her tongue. Hoped he hadn't heard the pride in her voice.

"Four years?!"

"Most people _I_ know, Shinra, didn't even go to school for more than one or two years. Learn reading and writing and a bit of maths, like you said. _I_ went four years."

"I see. – Their parents have them working on the fields, don't they?"

"I'm impressed you know, Shinra. – How long did _you_ go? Did anything productive during your childhood but boasting with bad grades?"

He snorted, disgusted. "I never _boasted with bad grades_. Nor did I go to school."

"What?!"

"The teachers came to me."

"Is that a joke?"

He shrugged. "Most people laugh at it."

Tifa shook her head. It was so… _decadent_.

"You really never went to school?"

"No, not really."

"You never had any school friends?"

"No, of course not."

"Why not?"

"I'm a _Shinra_, after all. Why would I mingle with ordinary people? It's bad enough to _meet_ them."

Tifa was speechless for a moment. No wonder he was such an… arse.

"Your parents had you go to school for four years?"

"Yes, they did. – My father went through a lot of trouble to get my Shifu."

"Shifu?"

"My master."

"I know what the word means."

"Martial Arts."

"I see."

Silence. The road was slowly getting rougher and rougher. It had gotten warmer in the car and Rufus seemed to have stopped shivering. Rain was hammering against the windows.

"Your father organized him?"

"Yes." This time, she hoped she hid the pride.

He snorted.

"What are you snorting at?!"

"Parents. Just parents."

"What is there to snort about?"

"They are pathetic."

"Pathetic?" Softly. "You know, Shinra, I pity you."

* * *

_Hm… so… that's it for now. In the next chapter, Tseng's going to be up again.  
I hope you enjoyed, especially the tiny conversation ^^__  
If you have any suggestions on what might happen to them in the future, I'd be glad to hear them, for at the moment I'm not sure whether I'm going to sent them to Junon or what might happen there ^^ Especially regarding Tifa's part._

_  
Again, I'd be very glad about reviews._


	10. I'm Rufus

_Hello, I'm sorry I took so long to post this chapter but things around here are quite busy and I've been in no mood to write for the last few days__ (too much to do, too many people breathing down my neck (at the university, I mean)…)._

_So, here comes chapter 10 and I hope you'll enjoy. A bit less action than before, though ^^._

* * *

Chapter eleven: I'm Rufus

Birds were cheeping. He felt the sun in his face, heard the noise of animal outside. Birds, a sheep, heard his heart beating.

Chickens, somewhere in the distance. Water. A creak, maybe.

The ground he was lying on was hard. By the smell of it, a straw mattresses. There were breaths close to him, deep breaths.

They must have freed him. Broken into the prison and freed him. Those fools, risking their lives for him. As if he wanted to be freed. The pictures inside his head were still haunting him and his heart was sick with them.

And the memories of the dream twisted his heart even further. Of course, in a dream, everything was so very simple. Rufus had just walked into his room, dressed as a Turk to top everything off (as if he ever would have. As if he would have ever come for him), there had been some wild flight and then, they had been out, somehow. Tifa Lockheart had seemed to be of importance, too. Funny, how the mind worked. He wished he could be back in that dream. Dream it again. Just to see Rufus again. To hear him talk. Anything. But he couldn't recall any faces from the dream. Everything that came to him was what they had shown them.

He listened to the breaths next to him. The sun was warming his face. He would avenge him. For sure. Even if took his entire life.

He opened his eyes. The room was small, plain. Just calked walls, straw showing from some corners. It seemed as if the sleeping place really just consisted out of straw mattresses lying on a stone construction over the floor. The ceiling was low and of rough wood.

He sat up, turned his eyes to the person sleeping next to him. There was also a third, empty sleeping place, but his entire mind froze at the sight of the sleeper. Who was cuddled into the sleeping bag, the blond hair in his face and all over the sorry excuse of a pillow, almost paling away to white in the bright sunlight.

Rufus.

****

It was quite late in the morning, the sun was still shining brilliantly, but almost all its way up the sky. In the rudimental kitchen (nothing more then a chimney acting as a stove and several cupboards), Tifa and Tseng were sitting at the table. Tseng had appeared some when shortly after she herself had started preparing breakfast, still keeping her eyes on the road. Tseng had helped her without being asked to.

Also different from Rufus, she could talk to him quite easily. There was no uneasiness between them.

When he had entered, he hadn't seemed to be very surprised to find her of all people. Maybe waking next to someone you supposed dead did that to you.

They were sitting close to the window so she still had an eye on the road, talking about some acquaintances their shared when the door opened and interrupted them. She had meanwhile filled him in on what had happened in the evening.

"Where's the shower?" Rufus still looked more asleep than awake, the look on his face nonetheless incredibly demanding.

Tifa gave a short laugh. "There is a bowl and a can of water in the bedroom. The bathroom is across the yard. That small building. If you want to shower – there's a waterfall about three hundred metres down the stream."

Rufus glared at her. "Barbaric." The door hit the lock behind him.

It took nearly half an hour before he reappeared, this time fully dressed, hair smoothed back in the usual fashion, all black and white again. It was … discomforting, somehow, to seem him in those clothes. They reminded her too much of who he really was – or had been.

"Good morning." Shortly, ignoring Tifa with his gaze, which set directly on Tseng. Just for a moment, his face softened. "Welcome back, Tseng."

"You are a fool, Rufus."

He gave a short laugh. "Am I?" Sitting down on the last remaining chair.

Tseng pushed a mug over the table.

In the same moment, as if a natural movement, Rufus had turned the mug around, holding it between both hands, vapour rising up into his face. "I'm not a fool, Tseng. At least not as much as you think."

"Can't you think a bit more about your own safety at least?"

"Don't want to put you out of your job, do I? – I did weigh the risks."

"Your death is an expectable risk?"

"If I can't have Shin-Ra, I give a damn about my life." Softly.

Tifa turned her eyes inwardly, hiding a smile. _That_ was melodramatic, even for a Shinra.

Tseng sighed. "Aren't you ever going to change your attitude?"

"Besides", flicking his hair, serious now, "The equation had several solutions. People have seen me alive. People gossip. Your contacts are of major importance – essential, really. And… if you want something on the right, have people look left. Elena established some connections which I'll contact over the next few days. And she managed to transfer some money to saver accounts. So, I'm a human again." Arrogantly placing the mobile from his hands onto the table. Then, as if just remembering her, his eyes flickered to Tifa for a short moment. "I didn't tell you because you were a security risk." Offhanded, waving it away.

"I kept you in my home for nearly three weeks, Shinra! If…!"

"If caught."

"If caught, they would have shot you directly. You just didn't tell me because you thought I'd wouldn't agree! – Just as with the grenades!" Now it had slipped her although she had promised herself not to hold it against him.

He shrugged. "It saved your life, after all." Finishing the last of his bread.

"If you want people keeping to treaties, you have to keep to them yourself! There aren't special rules for you just because you're Rufus Shinra!"

He hesitated, frowned. "Whatever…" He wasn't even looking at her but had his eyes back on Tseng and it angered her even more. But other than before, he had hesitated before waving her answer away again.

"I think we are in the best possible situation now to turn everything in our favour. Tell me, how far have they remodelled Shin-Ra already?"

Tseng started to explain what Tifa had already feared; that Rufus' apparent death had just been the icing on the cake they needed to get excess to the rest of Shin-Ra that had been held by Rufus so far. The company was already as good as remodelled. It wouldn't just be done by Rufus' reappearance, so much was obvious, even to her.

Rufus didn't seem to have expected much differently, leaning back in his chair, nodding. "Good. Or bad, rather. I have made my appearance, people will be doubting whether I'm dead or not. I'll demand my heritage back, proof my identity…"

"They faked a DNA-Test on the body", Tseng pointed out. "Besides…"

"I know it won't do much good. But the more people doubt my death the more people are on my side, me being the rightful heir and owner of Shin-Ra Electric Power Company Inc., et cetera. Plus the one who favours environmental technologies. I have come back from the dead before. They won't be as surprised this time."

"They could easily say that your DNA isn't Rufus Shinra's because it isn't matching their body."

Rufus leaned back, arrogantly. "Their propaganda will have an answer to any of our proves as we will to any of theirs."

"So we'll just need the better proves?" Tifa again and very sceptically. It sounded quite insane to her.

"Nonsense. Our advantage is in this case that we are on the 'good' side. Possible rightful heir who has been wrong, environmental technologies, repaying the planet, stuff like that. People like that better."

Tifa snorted. "'Rightful heir who has been wronged'? You are quite full of yourself, aren't you?"

Rufus just glared at her, shortly, didn't bother to answer. "I admit most of them will be too afraid to show any kind of loyalty – or just too lazy. Which is why I had Elena playing some connections while everyone was looking left. Which is why Tseng's here. – You know who is still loyal to me inside Shin-Ra's Turks. And you know who might help us outside of Shin-Ra."

Tseng nodded, slowly. "Yes. I think I know everyone you might need. And I know what you're planning. But my answer is 'No'."

Rufus stared at him. His eyebrows twitched. Slowly. Dangerously. "Pardon me?"

"You want me to round up an army for you so we can raid Shin-Ra and putsch Scarlet and Heidegger."

"Wherein lies the problem?"

"I am not going to fight a civil war for you, Rufus."

Rufus' face was expressionless, fury flaring up behind it. "You are _not_ saying 'no' to me. If I tell you to fight…"

"Rufus, listen! It won't be that easy. If we start that war now, it might well go on for years. Thousands will die, the country will be torn in halves o…."

"I don't give a damn." His eyes were nailing Tseng down. His voice was still soft, still calm, but it could have let hell freeze over twice. And for the first time since the party in the park, it sent a shiver down Tifa's spine. That was the same man who had ordered her death. Without any of his masks. She felt herself sucking in air. Filthy half-trues and lies. Despite everything she had believed. Whom had she helped?

"We have already …"

The ringing of Tifa's mobile phone interrupted Tseng and stopped another flaring of Rufus' temper artfully and startled her up. And Barret's voice at the other end of the phone was so full of concern that her heart clenched even before he told her what had happened.

****

A bit more than ten minutes later, the door opened again, Tifa standing with a worried look on her face in the doorway. She didn't even wait for Tseng to finish his sentence, didn't even seem to care what he was saying before she interrupted: "Someone's coming."

Her words left no doubt and Rufus was up immediately, Tseng still needed a second.

"I take the attic, you go to the car. "

Rufus nodded. Although Tseng had only needed a second to speak it out, it had been obvious for anyone who knew him that Tseng had debated with himself before pronouncing these words. But it fitted his own agenda quite well; he wanted to talk to Tifa anyway. He was going to get her to leave and it was best that Tseng thought it had been on Tifa's account and not on his.

Generally, he didn't mind emotions at all. They were very helpful. One could use them, manipulate people to act the way one wanted them to. Emotions were a very useful thing. If they didn't concern yourself. As soon as they did, they were becoming dangerous. And Tifa was becoming a new variable in the equation whose value he couldn't yet figure. He only suspected it might become higher than he was willing to bother. In the worst case, something which he could be manipulated with. Yesterday, he had nearly offered his help to her… although he had been as egoistic as usual with taking the first watch. But still, it was perhaps by far better to remove her from his sight. And, of course, Tifa was a nuisance with her moral complexes. Which, he told himself, was the main reason. She'd just be in the way. No matter if her connections were valuable.

He led her lead the way over the yard, crossing the two planks that served as a bridge over the creek first. But she turned around as soon as she had arrived on the shore, facing Rufus, making it impossible for him to pass. But not surprising him very much with it… with that frown on her face, he hadn't expected much differently.

"Well? And?" Demanding. Her weight was shifting, ever so slightly, her body preparing to fight. He didn't like his position.

"Express yourself clearly or let me pass."

"You convinced your Turk to fight your civil war?"

"Move. There's no time for your petty games."

"There damn well is!"

He gave a sigh, brushing his hair aside, arrogantly. "I was rash. I won't fight a war that'll destroy this planet a second time. I--- Shin-Ra's done a lot wrong. I don't want to continue down that road."

Tifa studied him, doubtfully considering the expression on his face. A straight look into her eyes, as if he thought she'd believe him. The boards under her feet were slightly moving as she shifted balance and he had to take a step backwards to regain his.

"There's no need for you to try and drown me. A war is just not lucrative enough. It's been expensive enough to rebuild so far.", shrugging.

Tifa glared at him, but stepped back, slowly, a smile creeping around the edges of her mouth. His second answer had nearly made her laugh, despite everything. Money. Money, of course. Was there anything but profit Rufus ever thought of? But at least, she was quite sure she could rely on _that_. "You know, I probably _should_ drown you for that. Just a little bit."

He gave a laugh, following her up the invisible path. "You just try."

"On our way back, okay?"

Rufus sneered. But before he could answer, they had reached the small cave where the car was hidden and from which one had a perfect view onto the small road below them. If the newcomer was a threat, they'd know long before the newcomer knew he was observed. They would have all the time needed to prepare the car, pick Tseng up at the house and disappear. And maybe Tseng would be able to place a shot from the attic which would delay the arrival.

Rufus took the binoculars from the car, directing them towards the road.

It took only seconds before Tifa saw a car coming into their view. A roofless four-wheel. If enemy, there would be enough time to shoot the intruders for Tseng. Time enough for them to flee.

But Rufus lowered the binoculars even before she could ask for them. "It is they."

Still, he continued to watch the road for several minutes before handed the binoculars to her, turning to leave.

"As soon as my Turks arrive, you may take a car and leave."

Tifa stared at him. This came totally unexpected to her. "What?!"

Rufus smirked. "You are surprised? I am just keeping true to my promise. There is no need for you to endure my company any longer."

Tifa knitted her brows. After the phone call, she would have done anything to leave, but all of the sudden there were so many reasons why she wanted to stay. Those few glimpses she had gotten behind Rufus' arrogant and ruthless façade were fascinating her. The way he had looked at Tseng, talked to him. That he had come back for her. The night before, that he had knocked at the door after he had changed, offering to take the first watch. Despite everything that look on his face when he had told her that he didn't want to fight that civil war. As if, somehow, he wasn't acting but meaning it. And then, he was supposed to be a spoilt brat, used to be pampered and safeguarded by everyone. He wasn't supposed to know how to point a pistol, hit an aim with accuracy, force somebody into cooperation at gunpoint or shoot a sniper's rifle. But still he knew. It didn't make her more likable. Not really, anyway. But it did mystified her.

And, most of all, if she left now, she'd never forgive her. Now was the one chance to really make sure that Rufus wasn't directing the world straight to hell again. Now she had the tiniest chance of influence. And she couldn't let that go.

"I'm not leaving now. Somebody needs to make sure that you don't destroy the planet all over again."

Rufus frowned. "Didn't you want to go back to your family, your home – your Cloud?"

She didn't miss the double meaning. "I'd love to. But thanks to you, there's nothing to go back to."

He frowned again, displeased. "What is there you can't go back to? You have your bar, you have your children, you have your life."

She stopped, took a deep breath. She hadn't intended to tell them. "The phone call I got was from Barret. My neighbours called him. Almost immediately after our disappearance they raided my house. As soon as I return, they'll arrest me. They burned my house down. There's nothing to go back to, Shinra." _And god knew where Cloud was. God knew if he was ever coming back. God knew if she _wanted_ him back._

She set into motion again, but this time, Rufus stayed behind.

"Oh."

"That's typical for you, isn't it? To leave only debris behind." Bitter.

"I'm sorry, that was not what I intended. I'll compensate your loss. Tell me where, I'll buy a bar for you there."

She shook her head. "You have yet to learn, Shinra, that you cannot buy everything in this world. I'll stay. No matter if you like it or not."

Rufus hesitated, still frowning. She guessed he thought she wanted to stay to make sure he wasn't destroying the planet all over again. Probably figuring that they still needed her, even if she was constantly reminding him of what he'd done. Maybe he even guessed as far that she wanted to protect the children which she only could if there was a save place for them. Which only would be there, she knew very well, if she joined hands with Rufus. As long as he didn't guess that it also was because of him.

At last, he shrugged, crossed the bridge. "Then don't call me Shinra. That's my company. I'm Rufus."

* * *

_I hope you liked it. I didn't quite manage to include everything I wanted in this chapter. But I am already working on the next (hopefully finishing it till next week)._

_I'm not quite sure how to involve Tifa now that the Turks have shown up again. I do have some ideas (including a longer visit to Junon) but maybe you have some suggestions or wishes what might happen?_

_Anyway, I'd be glad of reviews or tips of any kind ^^._


	11. Watch

_First at all: Thank you __again for you reviews ^^_

_Professors are still breathing down my neck, but it seems as if one can get used to almost everything. Indeed, I managed to steel myself some seconds. So, here comes the result of it in form of chapter eleven. _

_Hope you'll enjoy._

* * *

Chapter eleven: Watch

Sleep could be deceiving. It could turn the most scrupulous into mere men. Rufus Shinra was no exception to this. His hair was silvery in the moonlight, the face smooth, bare of any sarcastic expression, frown, scorn, arrogance. His lips were slightly apart for breath. He seemed so very innocent and fragile, curled up under the blanket, hair banging silvery into his face.

She stood and watched, knowing that she should actually wake Tseng for the next watch. But it took several moments before she set into motion, didn't take her eyes off Rufus before she reached Tseng. Somehow, she would have preferred to wake his protégé. Just to see his reaction. Eyes flickering open, a drowsy glance at first. Rufus and drowsy? Did his eyes show two shades in the moonlight, too?

She only had to call Tseng's name once before he sat up, rubbed his eyes and got up. He was out of the room, nearly noiselessly, even before she had lain down. Rufus shifted slightly in his sleep when she placed herself on her straw mattress, the blanket over the sleeping back slipping from his shoulder.

****

It was almost as if the light hadn't changed when she woke again, but now both mattresses next to her were empty, blankets and sleeping backs rolled up. Asking herself if it was that late already, she got up, heading sleepily towards the kitchen. She was thirsty, anyway.

But a glance through the window told her that dawn was still far away. That she couldn't have slept longer than an hour. Returning, she heard the sound of breaths from the small living room where the other Turks stayed and stopped for a minute, listening to them.

Connections between them were far more complicated than she had guessed. The first thing she had assumed was that Elena's eyes would be on Rufus again the entire time. Instead, she had given him a short report on the transactions, mentioning that she had also managed to secure the patents for whatever. The second report, on the connections she had achieved and a conference that was going to be held in two days (Tifa knew not how) had been much longer but as crisp and businesslike. Then, almost her entire attention had been devoted to Tseng. When they had left the car, her eyes had been on him first, too. Not on Rufus.

Tseng had almost completely managed to hide any awkwardness towards Elena. She wasn't even sure there had been any if it hadn't been for a brief smile they had exchanged.

Reno and Rude – well, she had known that Reno wasn't famous for keeping to rules, but he had nearly pulled a show, seeing both Rufus and Tseng again. And Rude – even he hadn't seemed as stoic.

It was hard to tell how much distance there was between the five. Reno and Rude, they seemed to be almost like brothers, Elena a younger sister to them. But sometimes Tseng seemed to belong to them, too, most times as if he was just their commanding officer. Same with Rufus. He kept a distance which didn't entirely exist. Especially not from Reno's side.

She had already decided to go back to sleep when she heard muffled voices. Bewildered, she drew closer, realising when she stepped into the corridor that they were coming from the attic.

"You have to hold it tighter to your shoulder", she caught Tseng's voice. "What's valid for the right hand is also valid for the left hand side. Your body has to become one with it…."

"I know that.", impatiently.

"Then do it.", patiently.

"Satisfied?"

"Better. But tighter still. May I? … yes, that's much better. You are going to have great trouble to hit a target if you don't hold the rifle correctly."

"As if I ever missed a target!"

No answer on that and Tifa had to smile. She liked Tseng more and more.

"Technique is essential. Even more when your eye…"

"My eyes are perfectly fine."

"I've seen the results…"

"They are none of your business."

"Your left…"

"I am not going to blind, Tseng."

Blind?! What was going on? Rufus had never seemed blind to her. At least not in the visual sense.

Pause upstairs and even though she had wanted to leave, she stayed, felt guiltily interested.

"They say that your level of vitamin A is perfectly normal."

"If it's genetic, it needn't be related to the vitamin A level."

"You don't have any genetic errors."

She heard him sneer. Knew she had no business listening. Knew she should leave. "I wouldn't have _lived_ if my DNA had had faults to begin with, you mean… Geostigma was a malady caused by a certain sequence in the genes. I share the view that it didn't just disappeared without mark. It's in the same spots as geostigma. I just don't understand why..."

"You are brooding too much, Rufus." Softly.

Pause.

"I don't want to go blind, Tseng." Almost inaudible. The words chilled her through. He sounded …strange. Lost, somehow.

"I'm sure you won't. Your eye is just worsening because your iris looses colour. You know that."

"Yes. Of course."

He didn't sound as if he believed him. Tifa, below, was holding her breath. She hadn't even guessed. It made her feel guilty and sorry. She had condemned him because of that patch when he really… She shook her head. It was best she left and forgot quickly what she'd heard. But before she set into motion, the conversation started again.

"Tseng?"

"Hm?"

"Nobody must know." If guilt had been an arrow, Rufus' words would have made a perfect bow.

"The others already know a bit at least. Reno brought in the report. After your 'death'."

"Then don't have them talk about it. Not even here."

Tifa froze inside, guilt flooding her mind.

"Okay. Though I don't think she'd … use it against you."

"She must not know."

Damn. Tifa felt her heart hammering. At first, she had just been curious about what Tseng and Rufus might be talking. Then, she had been affix by the sudden turn in conversation. Baffled that there could be anything wrong with a man about whom people said that no one had ever seen him bleed or cry. Feeling sorry for him. Now, she just wished she hadn't heard anything of the conversation. Guilty. Sicken by herself that she'd ear dropped on a conversation that really was none of her business.

"What is your opinion of her?"

"Her connections might turn out to be very valuable, in Junon perhaps even more than here. But she doesn't trust us."

A slight laugh. "Yes, I realized that. She constantly accuses me of lying. The only argument that works with _her_ is money."

What?! The answer baffled her so much that she stopped dead in her tracks, once again back to listening.

Another laugh which had to be Tseng's. "Money? I never thought she could be bought."

"Everybody has his price but it's not necessarily money. – It's not money with _her_, you're right about that."

Arrogance was dripping from every single word, stirring up anger inside her. How dared he? How dared he judge humans that coldly?! How dared he judge her like that – as if she was just a thing! Still, she wondered what her price was in his opinion. And even more if she'd resist if he tried to bribe her. Into what, actually?

She realized she hadn't caught Tseng's answer.

Rufus was laughing, ever so slightly. "That's easy." His next few word were covered by movement, luckily none of it close to the stairs. "…but she only thinks I'm not lying if I tell her that I'm doing something for money. Nothing with repaying the planet."

Tseng laughed. "She seems to be a good judge of character, then."

A sneer. It sounded almost sulking.

Silence again. Tifa wasn't sure if Tseng had been serious or just teasing Rufus.

"The reason why she is staying isn't her house alone. She wants to believe us and wants to be able to, well, stop us if we've been lying to her."

"As if I ever told a lie in my life. – That place was quite dear to her, I think. Although it was such a shack – nearly as bad as this one. It… I don't like it that she can't return and spent the rest of her life waiting for that vagrant."

Now it was Tseng's turn to make a sound she couldn't interpret. The answer was again too muffled. A bit longer. Her anger that he had called her bar a shack was much overcome by her surprise that he actually shown some kind of sympathy. Or perhaps not. Perhaps he just didn't like it because she was a nuisance to him? His opinion about her home didn't surprise her much in any case.

"You should go back to sleep."

No answer from Rufus. No one moving, either.

"I'm going to take your watch."

"I'm rather staying."

"At least wrap up."

No answer.

Silence for quite a while. Maybe it was better for her to go back to sleep, too. She had heard too much already.

"Hand me the binoculars, will you?"

"Did you see something?"

Movement.

"Where?"

"On the road. The beginning." Silence. "I think it's a car."

"May I have the binoculars back?"

"Hm… one moment….."

"I don't see anything."

"Behind the trees…."

She heard some movements. The rifle seemed to be moved again.

"It's too fast for an animal. … There's another one…. Another… Three at least."

"Shoot them?"

"Too windy. View too bad. And not on your left side, anyway. We'd better clear off."

Movement. Someone got up. "As if one could miss an elephant in this moonlight." Sulking, almost.

Tifa barely caught those word, hurrying as noiselessly as possible back to her bed, her heart hammering. If they knew she'd ears dropped… no, she couldn't ever have them know. She couldn't even let them suspect that she'd been awake. No matter if they didn't have time or not. Above her, she heard steps moving towards the ladder, threw herself into the sleeping bag, pulled the blanket up, just a little bit, closed her eyes, tried to calm herself and her heart, hammering against her breast cadge.

****

The moon was gibbous, silvery light falling into the room when he entered. He had been resolved to walk over to Tifa, wake her, get over and done with it even before he realized. So they'd be gone at least half an hour before the others arrived.

But now, he hesitated. The room was empty but that body that was curled up on the straw mattress, wrapped into a blanket and the sleeping bag. The hair was ebony in the light, the silvery skin seemed soft. She looked so very fragile, even if her hands were curled to fists close to her face. As if there was something she needed to protect herself from, even in her sleep.

Maybe he should just turn around, close the door and tell the others she had left. They'd never question his lies.

Whoever was coming would pick her up. If she made up a good story, she'd even survive. Well, maybe.

He reached out for the handle of the door, slowly turned. There was no room for potential emotions. There was no room for something that might possibly make him vulnerable. There was no room for mistakes. Not with everything at stake.

To go was the most prudent thing to do, really.

The door closed until only a faint finger of silvery light was lingering on his clothes. He knew how she'd look at him if she knew. Twisted half trues and lies. So what? He'd forgive himself. Even if there was nothing to forgive himself for.

Still, there was no room to pay no attention to possible connections.

"Tifa?" He was squatting next to her.

No reaction.

"Tifa?" A bit louder and still no reaction.

Hesitating, he place a hand on her shoulder, felt as if burning it in the same moment.

In the same second, she shot up, her hand shooting onto his, only for a second.

"Someone is coming. Hurry."

He was out of the room in the same moment. He shouldn't have touched. His hand was still burning.

Reno was passing him on the corridor, throwing an offhanded greeting at him, hurrying past with their sleeping bags, followed by Rude with the food. Outside, he heard a car coming closer and supposed it was Elena. Tseng was surely upstairs, watching the arrivals and securing the area.

-

Tseng drove around by the sudden creaking of steeps on the wood. Downstairs, he heard Reno hissing for Tifa to take some of the stuff, too, steps disappearing from the house.

Rufus was partly lit by the moonlight, eyes directly on him and Tseng thanked whomever people believed in these day that it wasn't an opponent who had spotted him directly. Next time, he should be looking for a darker corner.

"Tseng?"

He got up. "Four cars. Most likely Shin-Ra. Too new for anything else and WRO isn't operating here, are they?"

Rufus shook his head but had already set into motion towards the stairway.

"Find out where Cloud Strife is."

Tseng gave a short nod, following outside.

A trump for the girl, then.

* * *

_Once again, that's it for now. I hope you enjoyed and would be glad to hear your opinion once again!_


	12. Junon

_Thanks again for your reviews. Been diligent this week and stole myself some time to write (I know now what's going to happen next… that's kind of motivating). _

_Once again, I hope you'll enjoy the following chapter. _

* * *

Chapter twelve: Junon

It was astonishing how quickly they had cleaned the house. Within ten minutes, Rufus had 'woken' her and by that time, the house had been almost swapped out. Ten minutes later, they were already in the car, chasing down a path that wasn't really existing in a speed that was certainly life threatening.

Reno was driving and Tifa thanked earth, life-stream and any other entity that was watching over them right now that he was making up to his reputation as one of the best pilot Shin-Ra had. From behind him – or rather next to her – Rude directed the way. Calmly, as if nothing dangerous was happening.

But even after they had reached a road that did allow to drive at the speed Reno was chasing the car with, the atmosphere stayed strained. Grim, actually. Tseng was staring ahead, onto the road, Elena was turning around, too often not to notice, watching the road behind them for minutes in a row. Rufus was calm on the outside, seemed half asleep. But his right hand was lingering inside his jacket, too close to his left side. Even Reno seemed strained, both hands on the wheel, staring ahead into the darkness. He still made snide comments, but they were lost on the other passengers. Rude was giving crisp instructions, sitting with knitted brows over his map. A device so ancient that Tifa would have laughed at it if it hadn't been for its significance. Nobody had really expected anyone to find their hideout. Not that quickly, at least. And Tifa was sure everyone was contemplating as much as she was how Shin-Ra had known.

Sensors in the car? Had someone talked? There was no one who could have talked. But Barret. And Barret hadn't been in Edge. Tifa was sure of it. He had been at the oil fields again and Shin-Ra's arm didn't reach there anymore. Or yet. Peasants? No peasant she knew had ever grassed on somebody hiding out there.

She hoped Shin-Ra's arm didn't reach the oilfields anymore. Shin-Ra couldn't do much to Barret, she knew that. But they could do a lot to the children. But it was useless to think about that, she told herself again and again. She couldn't check it and… there was no way Shin-Ra could have known where Barret was or where the children were. Or could have reacted since their conversation on the phone. No way at all. But that didn't stop her from being worried. Not even from thinking that they might be intercepted.

The moon was slowly disappearing behind the horizon and its fainting light lined out tiredness in everyone's faces, shadowing them into hauntedness.

"We aren't heading for your helicopter port", Tifa suddenly expressed. That she had said it aloud startled even her.

"No, of course not." Rufus hadn't even turned his head. Tseng had answer for him. "We aren't sure about the traitors' influence there."

"It's just our luck that Shin-Ra hasn't as much influence as it used to have." Rufus, wryly. "Otherwise, Junon wouldn't seem such a good idea." Tifa had never thought it possible that someone could just smirk with his eyes, but Rufus hadn't turned his head and was definitely smirking at Tseng.

She arched an eyebrow at him, but he was either not seeing her or had decided not to comment. At least, he didn't answer and silence crept through the car again.

****

Dawn had cast a reddish-brown light that rose above the cliffs, sun only half visible through the clouds. They had stopped. She asked herself if she had fallen asleep or if she just hadn't paid attention for several moments. Reno had left the driver's door open, the other Turks and Rufus had also left the vehicle. Next to shabby barracks, a helicopter was squatting on a broken up concrete circle, the rotators hanging towards the ground. The Shin-Ra emblem was almost washed away by sand, rain and time. The wire fence was only a sorry excuse, torn in several places, pieces missing, overgrown by the dry weeds. They were covering the entire cliff.

The wind was blowing up dirt into the reddish-brown light and tearing at the Turk's and Rufus' clothes. They had stopped not ten metres from the car and were talking to a man who had emerged from the house.

"Forget it! Not even if you pay me!"

"I wasn't talking about borrowing, I was talking about buying your sorry excuse of a helicopter."

The man spat onto the ground. "Hell damn you, Shinra, I'd rather perish than sell anything to you!"

She didn't hear Rufus sneer but knew he must have had. "I heard quite a few people say that before. When their families went hungry for too long, they took my work. And I don't see why anyone should rely on your service if there are much saver ways of travelling. I am offering you much more than your helicopter is worth. I'm offering you much more than you could ever earn with it."

"Go to hell, Shinra." The man turned around on his heel and headed for his house. Tifa didn't miss the nod of his head with which Rufus stopped his Turks to hold the man back. The door slammed behind him.

"Rude, Elena, get after him, knock him out and leave the check on the table. I'd prefer it if you wouldn't kill him; it'd be bad for my reputation. Reno, prepare the helicopter for take off."

"What, you aren't going to burn the place down and shoot everybody?" Tifa had stepped from the car, feeling old anger rising inside her. It was so…typical! So… pathetic!

Reno's face turned into a sad expression. "No, unfortunately, we don't have enough time", breaking into a laugh at Tifa's stunned expression and maybe Tseng's and Rufus' sour one.

"Why don't you just stay in the car until we board?" Rufus hadn't even turned to her.

"Do you really think people will think better of you if you leave the money for the helicopter after you stole it?"

"Do you happen to have any better suggestions? Or do you want to wait until he's died of a natural cause and we inherit him?"

Tifa glared at him, the arrogance with which he answered her was angering her. "Okay. I'll do it."

A short exchange of looks between Tseng and Rufus, before Rufus gave an arrogant smirk and a nod "Ten minutes."

She snatched the check from his hand, turned around and stalked towards the house, hearing Reno snigger behind her.

It didn't quite took her ten minutes to return to the car, a satisfied expression on her face which quickly diminished at the scene in front of her.

Rufus was leaning arrogantly against the framework of the car, talking to Tseng while Elena and Rude stood a bit to the sides, obviously 'scanning the surrounding'. Reno was missing.

"Where is Reno?"

A smirk crept over Rufus' lips, turning his eyes on her without moving from the car. "Well? Diplomacy successful?"

Rude's and Elena's eyes flickered over to him as if waiting for the gesture to go in.

"Where's Reno?"

"He is preparing the helicopter." It was Tseng who replied which, somehow, irritated her even more, especially adding the coolness of his reply.

Tifa glared at Rufus, could have killed him with her eyes. The only answer from his side was another smirk: "Well?"

"Are you crazy?!"

"There was just no way you couldn't charm the poor fool." It was the first time he really smile at her, turning the entire comment into a compliment. It was one of those smile which burned you, a flicker of blue eyes into her direction, an intense look and the flash of a perfect smile and surely, she would have felt it stronger if she hadn't known it was Rufus who had pronounced the compliment. Still, it did its job and stopped her from talking back. Though Rufus frowned at her frown. After a second, the frown turned into a smirk, he detached himself from the car and set into motion towards the helicopter, the Turks following him without as much as a gesture.

Perhaps he had expected her to be flustered and blush and that she hadn't and frowned proved him right again in his opinion of her; that she was nothing but a slum dweller who knew not how to behave adequately. Or who just knew nothing about style and had no education to display. It angered her, but of course there had been nothing else to expect. At least not from Rufus. And in the end, it was nothing but pathetic how much he judged after a society that had ceased existing with meteor.

Rude waited for her to climb into the helicopter before he slammed the door behind them, taking a seat opposite of her. Rufus was already sitting next to Tseng, Elena on the other side, all of them placing the headsets over their ears while the rotator above them gathered speed and noise.

Rude nodded at her, slipping the set over his bold head, too. The glasses made it difficult to read anything from his expression, still, she smiled back.

She had barely made herself comfortable, barely adjusted to the sounds before the helicopter's noises increased. It shook, groaned and forced itself from the ground, as graceful as a fattened goose. Crouching over the rim of the coast, it dropped at least two metres before it lifted itself unwieldy into the air.

But it was only when the coastline disappeared into the early fog that the eyes turned away from the windows and everyone present somewhat relaxed. As if that was everything they had to do to escape; put a horizon between them and Shin-Ra.

Perhaps it was, though. After all, Shin-Ra had lost most of its influence since meteor.

It took only moments before Rufus, Tseng and Elena were absorbed into conversation. At first, Tifa tried to keep up, but she soon lost track of them and not only because the noises inside the helicopter were too loud to understand much; Rufus was talking about his future business plans and she really wasn't interested in that. She rather turned her thoughts back to the past night.

It had been the first time he addressed her with her name. When he had woken her. And the sound of it was still tickling in her ears, she knew not why.

And before, he had said he'd rather had her home waiting for the rest of her life on Cloud. Had called Cloud a vagrant again. But instead of making her angry, the comment had rather chilled her. As offhanded as it had been, it had contained all the truth she hadn't dared to look into the eyes until now. Since meteor, she had waited on Cloud. And then, when he had come back at last, he had disappeared after a month and again, she hadn't had a word of him for nearly half a year now. And she was still waiting for him to return. But if he did, how long would he stay this time? Longer than a month? She doubt it was the rest of her life…. And, if she was sincere, she had waited on Cloud even before Meteor. At least since that night she had made him promise to come for her when she would be in danger.

Before, she had always been laughing at how unwilling he had been to make that promise. It had seemed so cute, so typical Cloud. Now the thought of it chilled her. She knew if there had been something to return to, she would have indeed spent the time waiting for Cloud. She wasn't sure she didn't want to, either.

But who knew if Cloud was still alive?

And even if… Shin-Ra had destroyed her bar a second time. So there was no turning back. And she didn't know yet what she wanted to do. Of course, she could join up Barret, opening a bar close to the oil fields. She'd be with the children, then. But it seemed that could wait. Here, she could really make sure that Rufus was indeed sincere with his 'promises'. Here, she might be needed to ensure that Shin-Ra wasn't blowing the world to kingdom come again. But what if Rufus wasn't sincere? Could she of all really stop him? At least, if she stayed, she had a chance to interfere. And somehow, she wished more than anything else in the world that those blue eyes hadn't lied to her.

Still, she missed the children. She sighed, turning her eyes into the helicopter again. She'd phone Barret as soon as they had reached Junon. Barret would pick up the phone and all her stupid worries would dissolve into thin air.

****

She didn't notice falling asleep, but startled up when the helicopter landed – or rather hit the ground.

Outside, it was cold, the sky was grey and the air was filled with grizzle. Far in the distance, Shin-Ra's former pride dissolved in hazy fog and the early dusk.

A man was hurrying over the platform towards them, stopping out of breath in front of Rufus.

"Young Master! – I'm sorry – Mr. President! Welcome! How glad am I to see you! There were such horrible rumours from Edge! They said you'd died! But of course, I should have known better, shouldn't I? Oh! If you had called, we would have…"

"If I had called, Negishi, you would have double checked with Edge. And you know as well as I do what exactly happened there."

Negishi paled at the suggestion in Rufus' words. "Oh! No-no-no-no! I would have never betrayed you!"

Rufus smirked, ever so slightly. "No. Of course you wouldn't have. Now, do you want to have us standing in this weather the entire day or will you show us in?"

Negishi bowed. "Of course I'll show you in! But… your quarters haven't been prepared. … If you only had called! They are still as you ordered them to be!"

"Oh. You stripped them indeed?"

Negishi led them into a vast hall. From the skylight even several stories above the floor they had entered on, dirty light fell down onto them. The drops were gathering on the panels of the windows and Tifa was happy to leave the cold and chilly wind behind them.

"Of course we did! As ordered! Do you want to go into your office? I'll… I'll have your quarters prepared in the meantime. … And the cooks should still be in, if you'd like supper…" Wringing his hands.

If she hadn't felt so sorry for the poor man, Tifa would have certainly been amused at how much the man tried to please Rufus and how little Rufus seemed to be pleased.

"Supper sounds fine. Have the quarters prepared. And I want a report on all of Junon's dealings over the last few months. Precisely. Every business you have been running. Including the new orders from Edge. And, of course, all the connections you still harbour here."

"Um… We have mostly been waiting for orders form Edge since Meteor, Sir…"

"Have you? Then I'm sorry we've neglected you so very much. But I am going to make up for it. I will stay for quite a while, how about that?"

Negishi stopped dead in his tracks, needed several seconds to catch up again. "That… that just sounds brilliant, Sir." When the doors of the elevator closed behind them. He seemed to feel rather uncomfortable in the lift and so very close to his President and the Turks. Tifa supposed he thought her a Turk, too. She hadn't bothered to change into other clothes so far.

The room they were led into occupied quite a great part of the upper story. But different form Shin-Ra's former headquarter in Midgar, this one was rather plain. It, too, held a huge desk, but it was almost monochromatic apart from the great painting a Shin-Ra logo above the desk, slightly different from the one she knew.

In spite of the great glass facades, despite the heavy desk or the great logo, the office held none of the pomp of Shin-Ra's former headquarters. Almost everything in it shouted 'second in charge' or 'no real power here'.

Rufus dropped himself onto the chair behind the desk and directed his attention to Negishi again. Tifa was still standing in the doorway, only slowly came closer.

"Where's the real logo?" Rufus' was almost piercing Negishi with his eye.

"It's… we thought… that, now that you are the president, you wouldn't mind the Vice President's logo over the desk…"

Rufus frowned at him.

"Besides, your father's orders state th…"

For a moment crease formed between Rufus' eyebrows, some kind of fury flaring up and away again. "My father is dead and I'd prefer to have the real one up." His voice was icy and dangerous and didn't add a bit to calm Negishi very much who bowed quickly. "Yes! Yes, of course! At once!"

Rufus leaned back in his chair with as much arrogance as he seemed to be able to master (which was certainly more than the room had space for). "I'd also like to have the files till tomorrow. Will you manage, Negishi?"

"Of course, Shachou! Um… I'll have supper served at once!" Turning around but turning back again in the same moment. "Is there anything else, Shachou?"

"No. That'll be all, Negishi-sensei." In the same moment, Negishi was deprived from any attention Rufus had directed towards him which was now focussing on the Turks.

To her own surprise, Tifa wasn't very displeased with the behaviour Rufus had displayed. It seemed rather typical, judging by the way Reno had whispered to Rude and the stoic way with which Elena tried to suppress a smile. And she, too, would have been surprised if he had acted much differently. Although it was more than evident that neither Negishi liked Rufus nor Rufus Negishi.

The door closed behind the man and in the same moment, Rufus had turned in his chair towards the other Turks. "My, my, doesn't it feel great to be back at Junon?"

"He's soooo happy to have you back again, Shachou!", Reno smirked.

Rufus sneered. In the same moment, Tifa realized that Tseng wasn't there – that he hadn't been there for quite a while.

"It's 'Shachou' or 'Mr President' now, have you noticed? What has become of the good old 'Rufus'?" Rufus got up, turning his eyes towards Tifa and the half bemused frown in her face. "Not pleased with the office?" Turning to cross the room.

"She just thinks it stinks of 'no power'. Don't you, honey?" Reno as well as the other two Turks had set into motion to follow Rufus. Elena waited for Tifa to follow, choosing her side to tag along, with a friendly smile on her lips.

"We are here to change that, aren't we?" Rufus and with an offhanded laugh.

"Heard that before."

Rufus opened a pair of doors, well disguised by a pristine wall. "Never failed that, did I?"

Reno threw a glance at Tifa. "Sure."

Rufus placed himself on one of the chairs that were surrounding the table in the room – not a round table and he chose the chair at the head end.

"First time he said that, he got his sorry arse confined to here", Reno whispered to Tifa when sitting down next to her.

"Confined?" A bit at loss. She knew, of course, that Rufus had spent most time of the year at Junon when still a Vice President, but as far as she was concerned that had been for business matters.

"Watch your tongue, Reno." Rufus' glare at him was quite cold.

"Mattaku, Shachou, it's common knowledge!"

"What?" Tifa didn't like being ignored, but slowly, understanding and a grin crept over her face. "Wait – don't tell me the whole Vice-President-residating-in-Junon-business was all show and you got yourself under house arrest here?"

The glare Rufus sent Reno had so much venom in it that it should have killed the Turk instantly.

But no answer was as much of an answer as Tifa needed. "What did you do? Spent too much time on parties? Caused an accident under alcohol? Been cheeky to daddy?"

Rufus arched an eyebrow at her, calmly, this time, his gaze quite aloof. "I tried to have my old man killed, if you have to know."

Tifa gapped at him for several seconds, needed moments to recover. "What?! I mean--- pardon?!"

Rufus had leaned back, his face stoic, the glance again on Reno whose expression half way between smirk and apology told her that Rufus hadn't been lying.

"I mean… why?! Why would someone want to kill his father?!"

"You knew my old man, I gather?"

"But…"

"You would have tried to kill him, too, if you had had the chance."

"But – that's a difference!"

"Is it?"

Silence for a moment.

"And…" Carefully, "What went wrong?"

"Pardon?"

"Why didn't it work?"

Rufus smirked. "You should know, actually."

Tifa frowned. Puzzled. Was even more puzzled by the anxious look on Elena's face. Reno and Rude were exchanging looks. The atmosphere was suddenly very close to oppressing. Rufus didn't look as if he'd answer any other question. But before she could draw connections, the door opened again and Negishi stood in the doorway.

"Excuse me, Shachou! Supper has been prepared."

Rufus turned his head into his direction. "I hope you'll honour us with your presence?"

It wasn't a question, it was an order. And although neither his expression nor his words displayed any, she thought she detected at least a little bit of scorn.

"Of-... of course! I'd… I'd be delighted! I never thought…"

"Now, how couldn't you think so?" Rufus sat back with a mild smile twisting his lips. "After all, we used to dine together. Wouldn't want to break with old traditions, would we?"

"No… no, of course not."

Negishi sat down while out of nowhere servants appeared and filled the table. It stayed silent while they had done and Tifa watched them setting – much to her surprise – the table just with bread. Although she doubt her table had ever seen such a variety of different kinds of roll covering.

"I'm sure you'd like to know about your old friends?" Negishi had taken a while to come up with this topic.

Friends? She had never imagined that someone like Rufus had a lot of friends. True friends, that was. But the slight smirk Rufus displayed told her quite decisively that Rufus didn't think of them as friends.

"If you please…"

Next to her, she heard Reno commenting something to Rude and Elena, only just caught a grin Elena was hiding.

"Uhm… they haven't been so well lately. But I'm sure they'd be glad to attend to a return party."

"I am very sure they will be. But what does 'not quite so well lately' mean? I hope, they haven't all caught the flu." Innocently. His concern sounded so honest and faked at once that it almost made Tifa laugh.

"I bet they lost all their money in cause of Meteor", Reno commented between two bites from his bread and received a very sharp glare from Negishi.

"He… I wouldn't quite put it _that_ way…"

"My, my, that's the worst kind of illness. But at least", smirking, "it's not contagious."

Tifa frowned to hide a grin.

"It is very unfortunate, but I think they'd be more than grateful if you were to invite your old friends, Master Rufus."

Rufus arched an eyebrow at that. "I'm very sorry, Negishi-_sensei_. But I think we can't have that. What would my poor father say if I suddenly started _hosting_ the poor? I'm sure he'd turn over in his grave." The rueful expression fitted the word exactly.

Tifa heard a suppressed laugh from Reno. Considering what Rufus had uttered about his father only moments before that _was_ quite tough. And the sincerity in his words almost stunning. Twisted half-trues and lies, once again. But for the first time of an amusing kind.

"Why don't you buy up all their land and possession? They'd be rich again, then, and you could throw a party und equals."

"Why, I didn't know you had a hand for business, Tifa. But that surely sounds like a great idea. – What about it, Negishi? Do they still have something to sell?" Rufus seemed to be enjoying himself and it was quite hard to tell whether he was actually taking her suggestion as what it should have been: a joke on the twisted morals and lies of the upper class.

"They… I think most of them still own their estate and land…"

Rufus nodded, contend. "I'd like a list of that. Can't have the word come 'round that I forget about 'old friends'."

Negishi studied him through narrowed eyes, doubtfully, as if he wasn't sure Rufus really meant what he said and Tifa nearly felt sorry for him to be taken so much for a ride. But he seemed to know how far he could trust Rufus and that at least part of his words were just talking after his mouth. – Or rather twisting his own comments and throwing them back at him. There was a certain kind of weary look in his eyes and it was this look that made Tifa feel sorry for him.

"I tried to have your quarters prepared for the night but I am afraid there will be no light. Yet. The non-mako lamps haven't been connected fully, yet."

Rufus laughed. "Pathetic."

"If you had informed us about your arrival, everything would have been ready…. But the president's suite is linked up perfectly, of course. We stripped it, of course."

"I'd prefer my own quarters."

"They _are_ your quarters now."

"I don't care for his suite."

"Your own rooms are barely refurnished, Ma…."

"Don't talk back to me, Negishi. - I'm sure you still have candles, don't you?" Smirking.

Negishi sighed. "Alright. I appreciate your feelings."

Maybe it was good for Negishi that he didn't catch Rufus' expression on that, for in the same moment, the doors to the room opened again and Tseng entered.

"Done as ordered", were his only words and Rufus' only reaction was a nod while Negishi frowned.

****

It turned out that she was supposed to share quarters with Elena for the night. Tseng had insisted to stay with Rufus and Reno and Rude seemed to have volunteered for guard's duty.

Thus, she found herself in a vast room, at least judging by its sounds, checking her mobile. Barret hadn't called back yet although she had tried to reach him twice throughout the day and had twice left a message. He didn't take up the phone this time, either. Usually, he would take it up after only the first ring. And answered the messages as quickly as possible.

"Nobody answering?" The question made her jump so that she shut the phone at once and drove around to Elnea who looked a lot less stiff in her nightgown and the candle in her hand.

"No… not really."

"I'm sorry if I startled you. I didn't mean to… uhm… I'm finished."

"It's alright…. I've… I've just tried to reach a friend of mine. He takes care of the children." Somehow, she liked the young Turk. She must have had an open and happy face before, but now it was closed with an expression of suffering on it. It impressed her that she still managed to take interest in other people's life. And showed sympathy. A rare gift among Shin-Ra employees.

"Maybe… Maybe your friend left his phone somewhere? Perhaps it's best to call him again tomorrow. And… the connections from Junon are not very good… at least, that's what I've heard. Tseng told me. He must know. He's been working here for ages, you know."

Tifa smiled. "You could be right."

Elena sat down on the bed opposite to her, brushing her hair aside. "I'm sure they are alright. They are at the oilfields, aren't they?"

Tifa nodded, half way.

"The oilfields should be pretty save. I've investigated them – for a hideout and connections, you know?"

Another nod from Tifa. "I hope Junon's save, too."

"Tseng talked to the Turks here."

"He can't trust them very much if he stays with Rufus, then."

"Tseng knows his duty! He'd die for Rufus if necessary! – You have no idea what he's willing to – what he has done …!" The vehemence of Elena's answer startled her.

"I'm sorry. I have no doubt about Tseng's loyalty."

"Rufus is not as bad as you think. Tseng wouldn't serve him if he were."

"I'm sure of it." Remembering how Tseng had disagreed Rufus when he had demanded him to start a putsch. And that Rufus had seemed to agree. The vehemence with which he had discussed environmental technologies on the helicopter ride. The softness in his voice when he had called her name to wake her.

* * *

_Rufus is certainly not going to earn any award for being nice. Or respectful. Or anything close to it._

_But I hope you enjoyed._

_If you have any comments or ideas what might happen in the future, I'd be glad to read about them. I'd be glad about reviews of any kind. ^^_


	13. An unexpected proposal

_So, here is chapter thirteen now. I am sorry that it took so long again._

_Please enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter thirteen: An unexpected proposal

The room had three doors, including the one to the small bathroom. It was quite big, scarcely furnished, looked exceedingly expensive and Tifa had no idea which door they had entered through.

Elena was gone, her bed made and Tifa felt quite disorientated.

Barret still hadn't answered her phone calls and she was about to dial his number again when she realized that the door she had chosen didn't lead onto the corridor but into another, grander room. And that the one who had driven around from the mirror was pointing a two barrelled shotgun at her face.

He lowered it slowly when he recognized her.

"I'm… I'm sorry…."

The shotgun disappeared into his clothes again. "So this is what's behind that door." Looking past her.

"P… Pardon?"

"There used to be a shelf in front of it. But of course, it's a bit difficult to hide an entire room. Even in a house like this."

Tifa gave him another mystified stare. Why would anyone hide a room?

He shrugged. "But of course, that was ages ago. – Have you slept well?"

"Um… yes… thank you. What about you? Did you have Tseng sleep on that mat?" Pointing at the only thing that did not fit into the room; a mat lying on the floor at the end of the bed.

"Don't be silly. Of course not."

"What is it good for, if not for a Turk?"

"Nosy, aren't you?"

"It doesn't fit the room."

Rufus arched an eyebrow at her in the mirror, seemed to be satisfied with the contact he had place in his eye. "Dark Nation used to sleep on it."

"Who?"

"Dark Nation. Your dear Cloud murdered her, remember?"

She frowned at the trace of disdain in his voice and slowly it dawned to her whom he was talking about. "'Murdered'?! That – thing – was you pet?! I thought it was just another…"

Rufus' glare stopped her from going on, strangely looking more frightening with two blue eyes than with one red now. "Would you instead like to accompany me to lunch?" There was a certain strain to his voice.

"Lunch?!" She paled, feeling the mobile phone in her hand again.

He gave a smug grin, turned around. "_I_ have been working since dawn."

"How late is it, then?"

"And hour before noon. – Are you coming?" He had turned to another door. She felt the mobile burning in her hand, anxiety in her stomach.

"If you prefer to phone your family first, lunch can be delayed. There is enough business I have to take care of, anyhow."

Tifa narrowed her eyes. "Why are you so eager to dine with me?"

Another smug grin. "The way I see it, you are my guest now. Thus, I, as a host, have certain obligations. – I'll send someone to pick you up. 1200."

The door closed behind him, leaving her still in the other doorway. She turned around again, backed out of his room, closed the door and started dialling Barret's number.

But still, she caught nothing but the mailbox.

This time, she didn't leave it at that but called Yuffi. But she, too, hadn't heard anything of Barret – and that for about a month at least. Told her not to worry- Barret might have just misplaced his phone. – She knew how he was. And no, Shin-Ra had definitely no influence at the oilfields. No way.

Still, she called Barret's small company next. There, they had definitely seen Barret yesterday, bringing the children to school. But it was too early today for him to be at the oilfields. They'd have him call her back as soon as he arrived. But yes, they were sure he had been home the night and the children, too. – Some lights had burned inside the house.

"Are you still trying to reach your family?" Elena was suddenly standing in the doorway.

Tifa half shrugged. "It's a bit difficult at the moment." Trying not to be worried. "I think my friend misplaced his phone."

Elena nodded. "Beats me, I know that. I mean, even if they have been in the roughest action, it takes Reno_ hours_ to phone back. Usually, it's Rude, anyway. And I stopped counting how often he misplaced his phone. But by the end of the day, he'll call you back, I'm sure."

Tifa smiled at the Turk. "Are you coming for lunch, too?"

"Lunch? Oh, no. I just had lunch. – I'm just being requartered, thank god! – Oh, of course I don't mind you, but it's… it's too… too stylish around here, you know what I mean?"

Tifa gave a laugh, eyes on the silk bedclothes. "Absolutely! – Do you need any help?"

"No, no, thanks. It's not that much and that far, anyway. At least I'm not sent to buy some property or visit some old acquaintances!"

"Who is?"

"Oh, the boss's been working this entire morning. Reno's been sent to an old friend of Tseng – Verdot. I not sure he'll join. He doesn't like Rufus very much. Rude accompanies him, of course. Only thing I've got to do is to find out about property in this town – who owns what, stuff like that. Get some connections so we can summon workers so Shachou can turn this town into an energy centre again." She laughed, brushed her hair aside. "The usual, really."

Tifa smiled. She liked Elena's uncaring way of rattling along. It almost managed to smooth away those permanent creases between her eyebrows and the haunted look in her eyes.

"Well, see you soon! Tell your friend he's got to call you back a bit more often!" And with that, she disappeared from the room, elegantly avoiding Negishi.

"Good morning, Negishi-san."

Negishi studied her for a moment. "If I may give you an advise: you should dress in your uniform. The young master doesn't like it if his Turks aren't dressed according to protocol." He didn't seem to like his task. Nor did he seem to think highly of her.

"I'm no Turk." Tifa got up, a bit cross that he hadn't replied her greetings.

Negishi stared at her for a moment, then sized her up. "So you are his…"

"What?!" Even the suggestion knocked her off her feet, so much that she needed moments to become aware of the disdain in his voice. "I am most certainly not!"

Negishi nodded, obviously satisfied with her answer. "Follow me. Please." He turned around without waiting for her and led the way through several corridors into a much smaller room than she had expected, without uttering a further word, without looking at her once again, without showing her even the slightest kind of respect.

The table wasn't huge, either, and Rufus and Tseng were already occupying two seats. When they entered the room, Tseng stopped talking and looked up. Rufus turned his head to the arrivals:

"Take a seat. Please."

Tifa hesitated a moment, looking at Negishi who was already about to turn away. But as it didn't seem as either Rufus or Tseng expected him to stay nor he inclined to, she sat down at the table. Negishi didn't seem very likable to her, anyway. At least not from the way he had treated her so far.

"Who is he? But the commander of Junon, I mean.", after Negishi had left the room and she had turned her eyes towards the table. She hadn't noticed the food had been served.

"The only one on this planet who still thinks highly of my old man." Rufus sneered.

"He only is the commander of Junon as long as the Vice President isn't there. And he used to be Rufus' mentor."

"But _that_, fortunately, was ages ago, Tseng."

"Shouldn't he dine with us, too? I mean…"

Rufus sneered again. "I know what you mean. But he's loyal to the house of Shinra. Even if he doesn't think very highly of me."

Pause.

"It doesn't show good taste to dine with a Turk and a slum dweller", Tseng answered her questioning look.

Silence for several moments. Even though it seemed to be a rather simple diner, Tifa was sure she had never had such a verity on her table and it almost shocked her how much Rufus and even Tseng seemed to take it for granted.

"Have you been successful this morning?" After a while, looking both at Rufus and Tseng.

"Very much so. There'll be a conference soon. Until then, I should have established the necessary connections. And gotten a little bit of new wind into this wracked, miserable town."

Tifa gave him a doubtful look but only caught him exchanging another with Tseng.

"And how are you going to do that? Repower the old mako reactors and sell the electricity as 'environmental' power?"

"My, Tifa, you really suppose us to be villains, don't you?"

"The thought has crossed my mind, yes."

"But I am sure you have noticed the fierce wind outside? And perhaps you have seen that the tide lowering amounts to quite some metres? If I have to build something, I am going to build what charges me less. – But, of course, you'd want to check on that, don't you?"

Tifa narrowed her eyes. "Well…?"

"Why else would you still be around, otherwise?"

Tifa scrutinized him. She didn't like the playfulness in which Rufus was pronouncing this. Nor the smug grin on his face. Slowly, she let her smile twitch into a mischievous grin. "Well, you could let me lead your department for energy. How about it?"

Rufus' features abruptly sobered. "Yes. Why not?"

Tifa stared at him. "What?!"

"I will let you watch over my entire energy projects, how about it?"

"You are kidding." Completely disbelieving.

"Actually, I'm not."

"My ass, Shinra."

"Now, watch your language, will you? I am not making fun of you."

Tifa sighed. "Okay. If you _are_ serious, which I doubt, where is the catch? What am I not going to see?"

Rufus leaned back. "There is no catch."

"There's always a catch with you, Shin… - Rufus." She caught Tseng's mouth twitch into the idea of a smile at this.

Rufus smirked. "Why shouldn't I do something that is without a catch for you?"

"You don't do anything unless you profit most from it."

"Who says I won't draw profit from it? You will represent the department. You will be informed about everything that goes on in it. Or rather: you ought to be. Trustworthy people are rare these days."

Tifa stared at him. "You are _trusting_ me?"

A sneer. "I'm trusting your _idealism_."

Tifa studied him for several moments. She hated it, but of course, he was right. If he was serious about his 'going green', she certainly was the best person he had at his hand to be in charge of such a department. Because she wouldn't do anything for money. She would do what she thought was right.

And really, if she wanted to move something, this was her one chance. At least the one chance to make sure that Shin-Ra wasn't trying to trick everyone again.

"What if I say 'no'?" Slowly.

"I'd be very surprised if you said 'no'. You are only here to make sure I'm not lying to you. So why would you decline if I gave you the opportunity to check?" This time, the smile he gave her was very engaging.

"Because _I_ am not trusting _you_?"

Rufus drew back, shrugged. "Then let me put it differently: Your face and your name will be of a lot of use to me."

Tifa, too, leaned back. "That sounds much more like you."

Another sneer, this time self-importantly.

"Do I have time to think it over?"

"Do you need any?"

"Do I have it?"

"If you wish to. After all, you'd be joining hands with an evil arch enemy."

Tifa arched an eyebrow at him, caught his smirk.

"I'd like to have your decision after supper."

Tifa nodded. It was time enough if she wanted to talk to some friends, enough time to think it over, anyway. Which she was sure she wouldn't need. For she had the ugly feeling that her answer had already been determined in her mind.

Tseng, who had watched their conversation closely, was now concentrating on his plate, although he didn't seem to eat much while he told Rufus something about a book he had found in the library which for some reason had something to do with their plans for the future. It wasn't unpleasant to listen to them although she understood only half of what was going on.

After lunch, she tried to phone Barret again, but it wasn't much to her surprise that she didn't reach him.

She didn't reach Yuffi, either. But she knew she wasn't phoning her to talk Rufus' suggestions over, she was phoning to tell the rest of her former comrades in arms on what she had decided.

Thus, it really wasn't surprising that she found herself in Rufus' office, long before supper. Nor did Rufus seem very surprised. He calmly finished some kind of conference with the monitor on his desk, before he turned his attention to her, again an engaging expression on his face. It wasn't triumphing as she had expected. At least not openly. Perhaps he was asking himself as much as she was whether he, too, was making a deal with the devil.

But in the end, it was better than anything she could have wished for. At least for a stay in Junon. If she hadn't taken up that job, she knew she would have gone crazy with worries. For even two day after their arrival, she hadn't received any news from Barret nor from the children. Phoning at his plant again, the chief engineer informed her that Barret had gone on a business journey and that he'd be back soon. Which didn't calm her at all. For usually, he would have phone her before such a journey.

Still, even though Elena had promised her to find out where they were – and to establish contact, she would have gone mad if she had had the time to think about it the entire day. And the only news she got from Elena was no news at all. Which was basically good news because, if they had been in an accident, she would have long found them in a hospital. And if Shin-Ra, Edge had abducted them, they would have long boasted so.

So, she was thankful she could occupy her mind with making sure that the workers really built factories for solar panels, started building several tide-power stations along the coast and kept to the instructions for the wind turbines. And it didn't take more than three day to realize two things. First at all how much Shin-Ra really needed her in this section. No engineer in the area had volunteered to work for Shin-Ra, not to mention the workers, despite the high wages offered. But as soon as she appeared, asking for engineers – as soon as people had realized who she was, people were suddenly queuing up. First, it sickened her how easy she could mobilize people into working for Shin-Ra. Then, slowly, it dawned her that they came because they thought if she sold Shin-Ra's new image, she had to believe in it herself. And if a former terrorist believed in the company she had once sworn to take down, what was there to doubt about?

The second thing she realized was that it didn't matter if or if not she trusted Shin-Ra but that she could use her current position to _make_ true what Shin-Ra had promised. Even if it was against a lot of resistance in the rows of the rests of Shin-Ra. After one and a half week, she stopped counting how many people had already tried to bribe her.

In the end, it led her to the conclusion that Rufus, in between all the lies, had to be serious about repaying the planet. At least a bit. And that it didn't matter very much if he did it for money our out of serious regret as long as the planet profited from it. Though, the more she talked to him and to his Turks the more she suspected it was the latter.

They usually took lunch and sometimes supper together with Tseng and varying other Turks who happened to stop by form yet another mission. And she found herself looking very much forward to those meals – or other times she was able to talk to Rufus.

Looking forward to a conversation with Rufus Shinra and his shadow (and now second in charge) Tseng…. Even three weeks ago, she would have thought that impossible. Intolerable.

* * *

_Thank you very much for reading. I hope, you enjoyed._

_Reviews welcome._


	14. How to be a fool

_So, here comes Chapter fifteen. Please enjoy and don't fry me for it._

* * *

Chapter fourteen: How to be a fool

About three weeks after she had started with her new job, Elena told her that she might have some news of Barret and the children. That she had heard from a certain source that they actually weren't that far from Coast del Sol. As much as that relieved her, the next news Elena told her shocked her the more; it seemed as if they had left from the oilfield because they had been tipped off that Shin-Ra (Shin-Ra, Edge, that was) was searching for them. And whatever rumours came from Edge these days, none of them was pleasant. Much more on the opposite. It wasn't a place anyone wanted to be in these days.

Elena had promised to do the uttermost possible to find them before Edge Shin-Ra did and to get them into safety. Still, after the news she was far too nervous to stay in the drawing room to keep on reading.

Without realizing where she had gone, she found herself in the business track of the building with its huge glass façades. It was ten o'clock in the evening and outside, behind the glass panels, it was already pitch black. There were only a few people left in the building, only three or four offices still lit. One of them, of course, was Rufus'. Turning into a small lounge on the same floor where people could wait on being admitted to Rufus' office, she asked herself if Rufus ever slept. The suspicion that he didn't wasn't that far from arising. He seemed to be up long before she was, excused himself after the meals back to work and whenever she came into these areas in the evening, wandering once again because her thoughts didn't leave her alone, there was still light burning in his office.

She usually sat down in the lounge, drank a glass of water from the water dispenser and looked down at the tiny and calming lights of Junon before she went to her quarters. Or as much as you could see of them through clouds of rain.

But this time, the room wasn't as calm as it had always been before. This time, she nearly jumped to find it occupied so late in the evening.

It took her a moment to realize that it was Rufus leaning to the wall next to the water dispenser, a glass in his hands, eyes shut. He looked worn, had grown even paler over the last few weeks and especially the nose a bit narrower. Overworked, certainly.

The moment she entered, almost, he opened his eyes.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

"I like this place. It's quiet. And what are you doing here? Doesn't your office have a water supply?"

He gave a wry smile, but didn't seem to have caught her. "I like it here. It's quiet."

She sat down. He hadn't move so far, was studying her as she was studying him.

"Don't you want to sit down?"

"I have to get back to work." Placing the glass onto the counter.

"It's nearly ten o'clock."

"Who cares?" Half way cross the room.

"Don't you think that's a bit too late for work?"

A laugh, absently. "I don't think the work cares about the time."

"How's it going, anyway?"

A shrug. "Well enough."

"Well enough? That isn't really an answer, is it?" Softly. She wanted to hear more from him, to study that look a little longer on his face.

He seemed to consider a moment but then did sit down, rubbing his eyes, looking tired. "Negishi's trying to work hard, but doesn't manage, no one does, of course… there's WRO, usual business. Helpful…. Reeve Tuesti, he is prepared to help – not to forget the oil plants… but no one wants to sell so far. At least not at the current price. Edge Shin-Ra interfering. Coasta del Sol. – You are taking care of that. They interfere everywhere. – I have to get that finished before tomorrow night, but Shin-Ra, Edge, of course …"

He had closed his eyes and seemed to follow an inward list downward, a frown between his eyebrows. He didn't really seem to realize that what he was saying wasn't making much sense, nor that he repeated one or two things down the list.

"You are reeling." Softly, placing her index and middle finger on his forehead.

"Don't…!", he snapped, his eyes shooting up, locking into hers for the first time that evening. His hand stopped half way from brushing hers away, sunk down. "Noline me tangere?", nearly inaudible. (Noline me tangere, lat = Do I not want you to touch me?)

"What?"

He shook his head. "Nothing." He got up, eyes still on her.

"What did you say?"

"I've got to go back."

"People worked themselves to dead already." _And you didn't say that_.

"Not with deskwork."

"Then you are going to be the first."

He sneered, at the door now. "I don't have time for your nonsense."

"You think you will manage anything but nonsense like that? You need rest." Carefully, wondering at the same moment why she was saying this. Or why she was caring.

"The devil do I need. I am building up a company. I can't rest now! And _you_ have no business to tell me!"

"And you think it does your company any good if you can't look straight on anymore?"

"Shut up." His frame disappeared through the door.

"You're not one of your f***ing generators!"

Silence. She heard his steps disappearing in the distance, asking herself why on earth she gave a damn. What did she care about his wellbeing? If anyone's business, it was Tseng's and he had just shrugged, telling her that this was quite normal.

Why had she asked?

Because she felt guilty about so many things regarding him and wanted to make up for them? That she had ear dropped on them? That she hadn't believed him when he had been serious with going green? Or perhaps his patch? Because she actually liked him? No, she surely couldn't be serious about that. That man had tried to kill her, after all. And destroyed the planet and who knew what else.

Suddenly, his frame was back in the door and she nearly jumped at his sudden reappearance. "Remember the conference tomorrow. I want you to introduce my concept and how far we've already proceeded. – And try not to look like a peasant."

Had she been insane to wonder whether she liked him?!

"Well, at least _I_ won't fall asleep during the meal.", she snapped back.

"You are expecting way to much from the conversation", still standing in the doorframe. "There won't be a meal, by the way."

"Didn't you want to go back to work just four minutes ago?"

"I did. But I remembered something."

"Oh? Did you? To tell me not to look like a peasant tomorrow?"

"Did that vex you? I'm sorry." He didn't sound much like it and the smirk on his face was pretty tired. "I need you to make it a speech." Turning again.

"What?!"

"Your introduction to the new concept, make it a speech. Doesn't need to be long. Just exordium, naratio, divisio, confirmatio, confutatio and conclusio, you know, the usual."

"What?"

Rufus narrowed his eyes. "Don't tell me you don't know?"

"What are you talking about?" _What language had he actually been speaking?_

"Don't tell me you really never prepared a speech?" Tiredly.

Tifa looked at him, baffled, didn't feel well about it. "If… _if_ I really had to make a speech, it was some sort of out of the moment thing and not that three-hours-nonsense you and your father used to give."

Rufus closed his eyes. "I ... I thought you knew... I mean, everyone knows!"

"Everyone knows how to lay a table." Referring to the last evening at her house when Rufus had had forgotten half of the things and had been quite disorientated on which side knifes and forks were supposed to be laid.

He frowned. "Hasn't Negishi told you?"

"_He_ just bugged me on how to 'behave'. Basically, how to creep up people's arses."

A short smile. "Yes, he's a pest with that. …" He took a look at his watch. "It's too late already…" He gave a sigh. Rubbed his eyes, studied her for a moment critically, gave another sigh. "I'll teach you." He entered the room.

Tifa was half up from her seat when another thought crossed her mind, one which she didn't like at all. "What about those people who write your speeches?"

Rufus studying her for another moment, calmly. "It won't do. Not for you."

"And why's that?"

"Because you'd think I'd have them write down what I want you to say. And even if I said I won't you wouldn't believe me or think they'd put words into your mouth."

Tifa opened her mouth to talk back but shut it again. He was too right to deny it.

"Okay. But let's delay it till tomorrow. It's too late already."

"You have no idea how long it takes to write a speech. – Even if unskilled." He had crossed the room to the dark bar, returned with a pen – a typical one with the Shin-Ra logo on it. "I need paper."

Tifa sighed, got up and walked to the board with safety instructions on it and one or two memos. Luckily, Junon wasn't as computerized as Midgar had been. "Here." Pulling a memo from the wall and handing it to him.

"But…"

"What? One can use both sides of a paper."

Rufus sat down next to her, carefully. "If one's poor, perhaps…"

"You want to run to your office and fetch a blank sheet?"

Another sigh. "Okay…." Turning the pen in his hand and than to the paper. "- It's pretty easy. You first write your _exordium_. Then, you go on with the _naratio_, followed by the _diviso_, the _confirmatio_ and the _confutatio_. Of course, you close with the _conclusio_." Putting the pen down after he had written those words onto the sheet.

"You are a brilliant teacher, you know that?"

"Seriously?"

"No, of course not!"

"Therein lies the problem?"

"Don't talk strange languages to me, for a start."

"Learn them, then they won't be strange to you."

"Everything has to change but Rufus Shinra?"

No reply, just a tired look. "Can we proceed?"

"Okay. So, now you tell me what exorbitum is."

"Exordium. We certainly don't want you to _exobitare_." Smirking. "Exordium means something like 'introduction'. You are supposed to wake the interest of your auditorium."

Tifa arched an eyebrow at him. "I can't imagine how to do _that_ with that topic."

Rufus gave a sigh. "You are going to make this hard for me, aren't you?"

"I'm sorry, but you aren't much of a teacher."

Another sigh. "It's meant figuratively. You can't just start a speech with: 'we've got to kill whomever!' – that is, you can, but that would be another rhetorical figure."

"So… something like 'ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to this opening?"

"Remind me never to have you make the speech to an opening, but yes."

"Okay. What comes next?"

"Naratio."

Tifa arched her eyebrow again when he didn't go on. "Are you going to tell me about that one, too?"

"You are explaining how you see the situation."

"Sounds easy."

"Basically." He turned the pen in his hand, drawing a small arrow behind the word and writing down what he just said. Which, in Tifa's opinion wasn't of much use. But she didn't point it out to him. It wasn't much use, either, to start yet another discussion. And it wasn't that bad sitting so close to Rufus, to smell the faint remains of aftershave, even feel his warmth through the connecting clothes. Or watch him how he tried to explain things but failed terribly at it. It seemed he wouldn't teach her anything if she didn't teach him teaching before. It was… well, sweet. Even making a fool out of himself, he still took it seriously and showed the same stylish arrogance as usual.

In the end, he managed to give her quite a good idea of what he seemed think was the basic concept of a speech. Though in her opinion it was miles from what he wanted her to deliver the next day.

She didn't know how late at night it was when she had finished sketching the outlines of her speech. Next to her, she still felt Rufus' warmth and the slight contact, but he hadn't said much for the last while. Turning around to earn his disapprove, she realized why; he had fallen asleep against the armrest, so close to her that it nearly made her jump, the head close to her shoulder.

She studied him a moment, waiting for him to wake up from her movement. But he didn't and she wasn't sure whether she should leave him on the couch for the night. He surely wouldn't be delighted. And it was a lot more tempting to wake him.

"Rufus?"

No reaction. She carefully reached out to wake him.

"Rufus?" Before she got even the chance to touch him again, his eyes opened, calmly, both of them suddenly strangely close by, focussed just on her, digging themselves into her eyes. He had a slight smile on his lips and form just a second, Tifa felt a strange twitch in her stomach.

"Have you finished?"

She smiled. "I'll finish the rest tomorrow. It's too late."

"Nonsense."

"You've been asleep already."

"Nonsense. I just had my eyes close."

Tifa turned her eyes inwardly. "Next time, I am going to leave you on that couch. I am going to bed now." She got up. "And so should you."

He threw her a drowsy glance, then took a look at his watch. "Perhaps you are right." He got up.

"Perhaps?"

No answer, Rufus just eyed the piece of paper she was holding in her hand. "I'll send Negishi to you tomorrow."

"I'll manage. And tomorrow would be too late."

He took a moment to figure it out. "_Tomorrow_ is what comes after _I_ had a night's sleep." Almost sulking.

"Yeah, right. The world's turning around Rufus Shinra."

No answer and the lack of reaction disappointed her.

Nobody but them seemed to be awake in the building and the corridors were dark now. Dark enough, nearly, to see the stars on the sky above through the huge panels.

"Are you going to wear your contact lens tomorrow?"

It took him a while to answer. "I don't think so."

Silence.

"Its colour differs slightly form my eye's. It wouldn't do."

"Is that a filthy half true again or a lie?"

Rufus stopped. "Don't you really get bored of that accusation?!" Vexed. In the same moment, he bowed towards her so that his eyes were on the same level as hers. "Take a look. Tell me."

She was surprised at his sudden action, but grinned, then. "Your call." Moving her head closer to get a better look. His eyes looked tired, were nonetheless glaring. Both their blue was pale. In her opinion the colour was quite the same… and they were beautiful, nearly of an icy blue, so cold that it could freeze you in an instance if it hadn't been for a warm spark in them she hadn't notice before. Suddenly, she realized how close he was. So close that the rim of the contact lens showed on the left eyeball. So close she could barely focus. So close that her skin trickling under the light flow of his breath, her stomach suddenly burning when she realized she inhaled the same air. The light sparked in his eyes. The warmth of the breath. Her eyes trailed down his nose to his lips, slightly apart and suddenly, her brain was humming. His lips were twisting when she started tilting her head.

"Well?"

The spell broke, the spark in his eyes had disappeared. He straightened up again and she stepped back.

"Same colour, Shinra." Swallowing the dryness on her tongue and the strange feeling in her head. Or at least trying to swallow it.

He sneered.

Silence.

She hesitated. Turned to her door. "Good night."

"Good night. I'll send Negishi around for you tomorrow."

She sneered. "If you _have_ to."

A smile. "A demain." And with a short hesitation, he turned around and disappeared into the darkness, leaving her strangely disappointed.

* * *

… _he's quite going to regret it._

_For any critique (comments) please review ^^_


	15. Nothing Else Matters

_So, here comes Chapter fifteen. _

_For both sides not a very pleasant chapter. Be aware, Rufus is in a bad mood._

* * *

Chapter Fifteen: Nothing Else Matters

Tifa didn't feel well. Not at all. Her clothes were tailored and fitting too well, the lights were too bright, there were too many people staring at her and she didn't like it that Tseng, Rude, Reno and Elena were walking behind her like mechanic soldiers, their heads moving automatically from one side to the other. As if there really might be someone in this room who wanted to kill her. Nor did she like the way Rufus was marching next to her. More than ever as if he was owning the place. She didn't like it that the people were cheering and those that weren't, staring, or the old logo of the start of Rufus' presidency that was hanging over the great speaker's desk. _New Age_. She shuddered to think about what it had signified, put up the first time.

They were taken to a special table which seemed to be surrounded by a lot of special people who all nodded to Rufus as if they knew him well, but studied her with scarcely hidden distain.

She felt claustrophobic with the four Turks around her although they were keeping their distance. She felt claustrophobic in her clothes and in the entire room. And nervousness killed her at the thought that she was supposed to deliver a speech she had written herself without knowing much more about speeches than Rufus had taught her in the evening. That she had to deliver a speech in front of people who would certainly disapprove of her. About which she usually didn't care, but now. Negishi had been no help at all. The only help worth mentioning had come from Elena who had really tried her best.

A woman in a beautiful dress, who herself was absolutely stunning, had climbed up to the speaker's desk and had started an opening speech. She welcomed Rufus and his company back (they had missed him terribly, as it seemed) and thanked him for all his good deeds. That he had really been the friend in need. She was saying it with so much enthusiasm that Tifa asked herself how much or if indeed she knew what Rufus' gifts had been.

"You are really helping your friends with your money?", she had asked him disbelieving when he had explained about the reason for the congress.

"Neither are they my friends nor am I making any presents", had he answered calmly and smirked. "I am buying their property at prices that before Meteor wouldn't even have bought half of their wardrobe. And I am paying only part of it in money. The other part are share holds of the company. Not enough to have any real influence, though. If the company is successful and makes profit, they'll be receiving quite a good deal of money. Enough to lead their hollow and meaningless lives. So, they are tied to the fate of the company. Thus, they won't run to Shin-Ra Edge or try to manipulate my company in any way; I can be at least a bit assured of their cooperation."

Tifa had gapped at him, had needed the entire meal to get over that message. Of course, it was typical Rufus, but… she wouldn't even have made up such plan for her enemies and he did it to people who were supposed to be his friends.

But perhaps, she thought now, that was also why Rufus had managed to conjure a new company from almost nothing within one month.

The lady was flashing smile at Rufus that was so genuine and beautiful it that could have melted an iceberg.

"Thank you, Isodora, and you all know that I deserve no such praise. I just did what every single one of you would have done; I acted out of much consciousness as a friend…." Tifa had to force herself to stay calm next to him, asked herself how the Turks could bear such lies when every word Rufus uttered was dripping with hidden scorn and disdain. Why did he despise them so much?

It was a perfect speech, no sign of any deceive but the occasional and very short twist of the edges of his mouth which she could have imagined, too. His last words were to introduce her to the speaker's desk and for a moment, when they passed, her eyes met which the one that wasn't covered by the white patch and she knew she was afraid and knew he knew she was and couldn't think of anything other than the evening before and how close they had suddenly been. She almost didn't catch the small upwards twist of his lips when she turned to desk, placed her notes on it. As Tseng, Reno and Rude with Rufus, Elena place herself behind her now. Tifa realized she was the only one with notes. And the room was filled with silence and she was sure her speech was pathetic and she couldn't read her handwriting anymore. She had fought Sephrioth, she had fought Shin-Ra and in no situation before had she felt as vulnerable and helpless as in this. Her breath was chocking her, she felt her hands shaking

Behind her, she heard Elena shifting and suddenly, the paper in front of her came back into focus and so did the letters on it. She swallowed and then, suddenly, she was reading them. Hastily at first, but quickly, more and more words came to her mind.

****

_Shinra's new bitch_

Rufus slammed the newspaper onto the table. "I want him dead!"

"Rufus…"

"I. Want. Him. Dead. I don't care who it is, I don't care how old he is, I don't care if he has family! Fuse his soul with lifestream!"

"You can't just…"

"I can't?! Tell me, why can't I? That man is throwing dirt at my company! He is abusing my employees! I won't have that!"

"He is abusing a single one and that was to be expected."

"He is questioning my decisions!"

"He may very well do so. We've got freedom of press now."

"I don't give a damn about 'freedom of press'!"

"You not let yourself be quoted with something like that."

"I hate this new world."

Tseng gave a sigh. "But you do get me, don't you?"

"Of course I get you, otherwise I would still be shouting at you. He's just going to have an accident in a few months, then. A year, maybe."

Tseng gave another sigh, knew that this was as far as he would get Rufus. It wasn't a 'leave him alive', but it was far enough for Rufus not to have lost the argument. "I don't thing that's a good idea, but if you have to…"

Rufus had turned away from him, to the desk, hand hovering over the phone. Tseng didn't like the malicious grim expression on Rufus' face. The anger in it. "What are you going to do?"

Rufus picked up the phone, deliberately, eyes half on Tseng, half on the phone. "Who has no paper cannot print."

"You can't do that."

"I can't? All it takes me is one call." Calmly, not pushing any digits, studying Tseng, gaze full of disdain mingled with stubborn fury. "But _nowadays_, I need the public's good opinion." He dropped the phone, turned to the window, looking out into the hammering rain, one hand in his pocket, the other against the panel, but both clenched to fists.

Tseng picked up the phone and put it back into its socket, didn't bother to answer. Inwardly, he thanked whomever people believed in these days that Rufus _was_ open to reason. And, most of all, that he, Tseng, was perhaps the only person in front of whom Rufus bothered to manage his anger.

There was a real deluge coming from the sky.

"Erroneous, though, it would have been so easy to rule the world with fear." Vile, rather. But that, of course, Rufus would never say.

"It wouldn't have made you very popular to say the least." _And most likely, you would have been dead by now._

Rufus gave a laugh. "I don't care about the scum's opinion."

Tseng didn't ask him why he cared about the article, then. He thought he knew the answer pretty well and that was certainly a topic even he didn't venture to bring up.

Still, no answer also seemed to be the wrong answer for Rufus turned his head, glaring at Tseng again for several moments. "Any news form WRO so far?"

Tseng shook his head. "But I'm sure they'll call."

"Of course they will. They like to boss people around. They think they are the big shots these days." Sneering. "As if they would be anything without _my_ funding."

"But we've got news that Cloud Strife was seen not too far south from here."

"Oh? Indeed? Still running from his own shadow? That guy is pa…"

In the same moment, the door to the office burst open. "Shachou! Shachou!" Elena was standing in the doorway, out of breath.

"Elena!" Tseng had turned around. "How often have I told you to knock before…"

"I'm… I'm sorry, Sir!", Breathing heavily. "But it's important! May I talk to the president?"

Tseng exchanged a look with Rufus.

"If it's important…" Rufus turned from the window.

"It's Tifa!", she started. "I… You told me, Sir, to inform you if she got any news from her family!"

"She won't get much in the nearby future; they are still held ransom …"

"I know, Sir! But… she received a call, from a friend, who told her that they were hiding out here, in Junon! They wanted to meet her!"

Rufus stared at her. "But…", turning to Tseng, "didn't we just receive a communiqué this morning that…?"

"Absolutely, Shachou."

Rufus eyes were back on Elena. "Send her up."

"That's the point - I… I can't! She's gone already. She just left me a note to tell her office she was ill."

Silence. Rufus' face was working. Then, even before Tseng could say anything, he reached out for the phone, typing in a number. "Track Tifa Lockheart. Send her location to the Turks." He put the phone down, turned on his heel and headed for the office door so quickly that even Tseng had difficulties to keep up.

"You two are coming with me. Call Reno and Rude. Call every damn Turk in Junon." The elevator set into motion, Rufus' set face was reflecting in the mirroring walls.

"Rufus..."

"Do as you're told!"

Tseng nearly jumped. It had been long since Rufus had talked to him in this way. He studied his protégé for a moment, while flipping his mobile open to tell the Turks to damn well hurry up. He didn't like the expression on Rufus' face. In this mood, he was able to commit quite a number of follies.

The motor of the car started even before he had closed the door.

Rufus in front of him was talking strangely calm into his mobile, placing it into the holder from where it started giving directions.

Elena nearly jumped at his orders to do hurry up. Or rather the cold in his voice. The car nearly shot into a day that could have been the prelude to a deluge. It took only seconds before the windshields were covered by layers of water, too thick to look through, too much for the wipers to take care of it.

Rufus' scarcely uttered orders and the directions from the telephone were chasing Elena through the streets, only inches around corners, each second avoiding at least one near-accident. Tseng caught Elena's strained look in the rear mirror and Rufus' tight lips. He was sure Rufus knew as well as he did that they were too late. Tseng just prayed the Turks would be sooner at the location than they would. Before Rufus would canalize his emotions into something that might very well kill him or lay Junon into rubble.

But in the same moment, the voice from Rufus mobile stated that they had arrived. Nearly simultaneously, Rufus had snatched the phone from the holder, grabbed his gun and was out of the car, even before Elena had stopped. Tseng cursed, tangled up in the seatbelt in the haste, gripped his own pistol and stumbled after Rufus into the pouring rain.

The building was only imposing from the outside, but as soon as entered, Tseng found himself in a ransacked court. Half of the roof was missing, half of the upper story in ruins. The water was standing at least one inch high on the floor, there were several deep puddles. Tseng didn't see much with the rain running down his face, no sign of Rufus anywhere near. But he heard voices, very close by. He felt his heart hammering with fright, released the safety of his pistol as he propelled himself into the direction of the voices. Rufus was such a fool! Shouts, through the rain. Laugher. There had to be at least four of them! Rufus would get himself killed! The ground was slippery, he stumbled, slipped and in the same moment, he hear the explosion of a weapon. Once. He was back on his feet, ran. Twice. Another shot in answer. A door, Rufus' frame in the doorway, the body twisted with the recoil of the next shot. Tseng rammed Rufus aside, away from the doorframe, the curtain of water parted when he stumbled forward, he saw one man standing, a bullet whistled past his ear, he fired, jerking around for another opponent, the man falling. Crouching behind a fallen table, he scanned. But there was no one moving inside the room anymore.

Tifa's body on the floor could barely be called human. Tseng held his hand in front of Rufus who had gotten up again to stop him from proceeding, was at her side at the same moment, squatting next to her. When he felt for her carotid, she groaned, tried to move her head, but it fell back in the same moment, eyes perhaps directed to the doorway. The ground was littered with stun guns and their ammunition. She must have given them quite a fight. There were three further bodies on the ground and the shot ones shattered on the floor seemed to have been badly hurt before. She must have fought till the very last of her strength. Her lips were slightly moving, but he couldn't catch anything over the hammering rain. Her hand was digging into the floor, the eyes flickering open and close, but never on him.

"Will she live?" Rufus hadn't moved an inch, was just staring at her face, didn't even seem to notice that he was still standing half in the rain. If Tseng hadn't known him, perhaps that mask on his face could have fooled him. And even as he did know him Rufus looked a lot as if he didn't care. Or as if he tried a lot not to care.

Tseng studied the body under his hands, wasn't sure himself. "Yes, I'm sure."

"Will she be alright?"

"I think so." What else was there to say?

He didn't move. Didn't seem to venture into the room or any closer at all, still standing half outside the frame, still staring at Tifa.

"Perhaps you should abort the action apart from the ambulances."

He nodded, typed a number into the phone in his hand without once moving his eyes. His voice was cold and distanced when he ordered the action to be aborted but the ambulances. And that they should send materia. He didn't even move away when the ambulance came. Only when the glow of one of the now rare materia working spread through the room did he turn away.

"We are going to the hospital", he said, sitting down next to Elena again, still his weapon and the mobile in his hand.

"Ehm…"

"We are going to the hospital. Follow them" Same intonation.

This time, when Elena drove at a reasonable speed (that was pretty slowly in this weather) he didn't say anything. He didn't utter any word at all, just stared into the street. Or rather into the rain; there wasn't much to be seen of the street.

Tseng tried to keep track with the ambulance, but it soon disappeared into the rain when he turned his eyes to the rear mirror.

It was typical Rufus to run into a situation without first checking the obstacles. It was typical for him to decide matters of such kind within seconds. And to escape being hurt badly because either his Turks saved the situation or came to pick him up. It was typical he pulled a show and it was typical he left the thought of his safety to his Turks, blindly.

That he wasn't doing it out of pure egoism seemed to be a new trait of character. At least, Tseng thought with a smirk, if you didn't define 'stopping others from getting hurt because it hurt you if they got hurt' as 'egoism' which Rufus probably would.

Rufus had come for him although he had clearly been replaceable and he loved him even more for it. And now he had come for Tifa. Which didn't really surprise him, if he considered it. Not after the way Rufus had reacted to the article in the morning or how often he had been talking about Tifa's job in her department. Or the trace of an anxious look yesterday when she hadn't immediately started her speech but seemed completely at lost. The way he studied her too long.

"She'll be alright."

Rufus' eyes were on him in the mirror at the same moment. "This isn't a fairy tale, Tseng, this is reality."

That even brought Elena to make and eye contact with him, despite the rather dangerous road. She looked nearly as strained as Rufus had over the last few weeks, but with her, it was rather due to the moment. And to Tifa. The two of them, as he had understood, had become quite good friends.

"We weren't too late, Rufus." And he hoped so very much.

Just a glare as Rufus shifted his weight again.

Standards at Shin-Ra hospitals were still a lot higher than they were at a public one. And Shin-Ra hospitals still had the mako needed and the skilled mako-doctors which perhaps were the only reasons why Tseng's words had any eligibility at all.

They arrived, it seemed, long after the ambulance and they were told that Tifa had been patched up as well as money and influence could get it. But still, when a young doctor led them to the room they had put her into, they found themselves in front of a bed in which her body was lying. Pale, and adjusted to several machines, beeping. Lifeless, it seemed. The only noise came from the machines.

What showed from her was bruised, covered up in bandages. Rufus stopped in front of the bed, eyes on her.

"Why aren't you using any more materia?" Demanding.

"We – we don't want to poison her, Sir. This is the best we can do."

"The best you can do?" Rufus' eyes trailed over Tifa's body, thoughtfully. It didn't look very much like 'the best they could do'. And the pale glare he sent the man when he turned his had told that excessively.

The man swallowed. "She… she is stable, Sir. She will survive. Definitely."

"I hope so very much. For you." Turning back to the bed. "Leave."

"Y…yes, Shachou."

Rufus didn't move when the door closed behind them. He hesitated a moment, then reached out as if to brush the some bangs from her forehead. But before his finger tips came into contact with her face, he stopped, his hand hovering close to her face. Tseng couldn't help but notice the absent look on his face. Nor the colourless blotch on the back of his hand which was half cover by the dark colour the leather glove had left on his skin. It was as white as the blankets Tifa was lying in. The hand shifted, slightly, reached out, curled to touch the hair. The expression on his face had softened.

In the same moment, the door was opened again. "Excuse me, but you shouldn't be inside here. The patient needs her rest."

Rufus turned around to the elderly man, hand long since back at his side, voice sharp: "Do you know who I am?"

"I do, Shachou, but that doesn't change the fact that _she_ needs rest and peace."

Rufus glared, crossed his arms in front of his breast. Tseng couldn't help but notice that he stood there as if he was trying to protect the bed from some one.

"When will she be ready to work again?"

The doctor frowned. "It may take some time. Two weeks if you are lucky and if…" he interrupted himself, "Shachou, I must insist that you please…"

Rufus had turned his head to Tseng, deprived the man of his attention. "Tseng." Not even making eye contact.

Tseng set into motion after him, but Rufus turned around, back to the doctor, as soon as they were out of the room, leaving him no way to back up. "What about the others?"

"Who?"

"The men who did that to her."

"They are all dead, Shachou." The man hesitated again. "That is, there was one who was still alive."

Rufus sneered. "Get some questions answered before he dies."

"It is doubtful he'll wake before he dies." He didn't seem very impressed by Rufus' behaviour, looked him up and down. "And perhaps you should…", gesturing at his clothes.

"Perhaps I should, but there's something you aren't telling me, isn't there?"

The doctor narrowed his eyes. Hesitated a moment, before he answered nearly hushed: "She had some very sever head injuries. We aren't sure she will wake again."

"Then _make_ sure. And make it soon." Turning to Tseng and adding the rest over his shoulder. "That'll be all, doctor." Then, he turned back to Tseng and with it to the window which gave a limited view over Tifa's room: "I hate it when they get that impertinent!"

"Perhaps, Shachou, we should really go back to the headquarters and ch…"

"I am not leaving." Eyes directed through the window. "Send Elena up. Or Reno and Rude, they should be here by now."

"Rufus…!", hushed.

"I am not leaving." He wasn't even listening.

Tseng sighed. "I'll be _sending_ for some dry clothes, then."

No answer.

"Don't move away from here." Normally, he would have been sure that Rufus would move away, especially when told. This time, he was quite certain his charge would stay exactly where he was now. And a Shin-Ra hospital wasn't such a dangerous environment, anyway. He could venture to place a phone call somewhere where he wouldn't disturb any crucial instruments.

Though he had mistaken about Rufus' mobility. After about five minutes, his charge leaned to the wall at the end of the corridor from where he still had a view over the entrance of Tifa's room, closing his eyes for a moment.

He had been such a fool. And now, it was likely she wouldn't wake ever again. Damn them to hurt her! To kill her, nearly! Hadn't Tseng been more than enough?

And since when was he actually on the side of those who got hurt and had a conscience to listen to? Damn Meteor!

He'd take revenge on those who had done this to him. Who were probably laughing their heads off at the moment. Even if he had to burn down the entire planet. Though he had to be careful about that, not only because of the public opinion. Tseng had somehow grown himself a conscience over the last few years and although it was quite helpful at times, Tseng would first chew him out and then try to pester him into something unreasonable. And he tended to agree far too willingly.

In the same moment, Rufus caught sight of a man who was staring through the glass panel behind which Tifa was lying. A blond man in full gear. A man he knew too well. And in the same second, this man turned around, searching the corridor, for a doctor perhaps. But his eyes caught him and locked on him in the same instance before Cloud Strife came stalking into his direction.

"What are _you_ doing here?!" The angry voice filled the corridor, eyes on fire.

"I might just be asking you same question. This is my hospital."

"This is your doing, right?!"

"I don't deny that I am responsible that she is hospitalized instead of dead in an abandoned building." Calmly.

"You … you did this to her!"

"Why would I? She's a useful employee." Smirking into his face.

In the same moment, the blade of Cloud's sword was at his throat, pressing him against the wall with the other hand. "If this is your doing, I'll kill you, Shinra! I swear by lifestream I'll kill you if you've touched her! I will kill you if you _ever_! dear! to get close to her again!"

It gave a dry click when Rufus released the safety of his gun very close to the other's heart.

"Now, don't get insolent, will you?"

For a moment, the pressure of the sword increased with pressure of the gun's muzzle below Cloud's sternum. Then, suddenly, Cloud let go, stepped back, the tip of the sword still directed towards Rufus' throat. The muzzle of the gun followed his head backwards.

"Lower your sword!!!" The door had exploded and Tseng was standing in the doorway, gun pointed at Cloud's head.

Cloud's eyes stayed locked with Rufus', the former pity exchanged for hate. "If any of your thugs gets close to her, I'll kill them. - If she dies, Shinra, I'll kill you." He put his sword onto his back again.

Rufus gave a sneer and the weapon disappeared between the layers of his clothes. "If she dies, _you_ weren't around to save her."

The provocation hit the bull's eye. Cloud stopped dead in his tracks, turned around again, slowly, studied Rufus' grey clothes, at the edge of perhaps drawing his sword again. Certainly at the edge of killing him. Then, he just gave him a pitying glance and turned with a jerk around again.

Flipping his hair, Rufus turned to Tseng without giving him a further look and stalked towards the door.

"Reno and Rude will be upstairs in a moment, Shachou", Tseng informed him. "And would you _please_ try not to get yourself into a deadly situation as soon as we turn the back on you for a second?"

"Pull them off. That vagrant will take good care of her, I'm sure." Smirking. "He's going to kill anything that gets close to her." Ignoring the rest of Tseng's words completely.

Tseng gave him a long look when he started going down the stairs. "Do you really think that wise, Rufus?"

"The doctors aren't even sure she's going to wake again, right? If she's going to stay comatose, _I_ have no further use for her. He's the perfect solution. I might even rise in the public's opinion if I leave that hull to her boyfriend without a fight. 'Noble', 'honourable', whatever."

"And what if she wakes?"

He stopped, hesitated, turned around, fixed Tseng. "She's done her job. Everybody thinks we are the good guys now. Nothing else matters." Turning around again and the last words a bit softer.

Tseng gave a sigh, would have liked to say something but didn't know anything. Sometimes, he thought, Rufus was trying too hard not to be his father.

* * *

_Um… yes, so far… I would quite like to hear you opinion, if you like to ^^_

_Hope, you enjoyed._


	16. Family Matters

_I sorry it took rather long__ this time, but just as I had adjusted the finishing touch to this one and the following chapter, my computer made abundantly clear that it does not like me very much. To put it short: it decided to save the document in such a way that it was beyond repair._

_So, after having sulked for several days, I somehow managed to reproduce the chapter. I am afraid it is not as good as the lost one has been, but I hope you'll enjoy nonetheless. _

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Chapter sixteen: Family Matters

She had never seen so much fear before in anyone's eyes. The curtain of water had parted and the men around her had dropped dead. He hadn't ventured a centimetre from the curtain, was barely clinging to the doorframe. But never in her life had she seen such much fright, so much begging accumulated into one gaze and his eyes just wouldn't let her go.

****

"Tseng?" It was three day later and Rufus was leaning to the glass panels, staring outside into the rain over Junon.

"Yes, Sir?"

"I am not feeling well."

Tseng suppressed any kind of remark. Asked early, he would have nodded and told anyone who wanted to hear about it that Rufus was a workaholic, at times. But that had been before he had lived through the last few days. "I am not wondering, Sir."

'Sir'. Rufus had closed up again. There was nothing left but calling him 'Sir' and hoping he would return soon.

"Perhaps, you should visit the hospital."

"There's no need to visit a hospital for a sore throat."

"I'll order you hot milk with honey at once." Tseng's voice was perfectly dutiful and only accompanied by an ironically raised eyebrow. But he didn't get much of a reaction out of Rufus who was back at his desk, looking absently through some papers. "Whatever."

****

The eyes hadn't let her go and there was still a light shadow of blue and an even lighter one of blond when she opened her eyes. She tried to form his name, mumbled it, felt a finger brushing her hair aside. Even the slight touch hurt through the clouds of morphine. A voice called her name and she tried to call his name, drifted out again. And then, slowly, the blurry outlines started growing sharper.

"Tifa?"

Her body was numb with narcotics and her mind felt puffy, numb, she could barely focus, commanded her tongue to answer with his name.

The next time she woke, she didn't feel much pain anymore and the numb feeling was reducing. The outlines were much clearer when the man leaned into her sight again.

"Hello…"

"I'm so glad to see you again…", he started. He stroke her hair away. "You know", his eyes were sad. Beautifully sad. "I thought I had lost you forever. … and… I should have been here. I should have stopped Shin-Ra from hurting you. I should have stopped them from getting close to you.

I… if you hadn't… I mean. I would have killed him.

Tifa, I… promised to be there if you got into danger. I promised to keep you from getting hurt. Please. Please forgive me."

Had she been able to talk, she would have been speechless. She felt her hand against his cold cheek. Cloud had never before excused himself for his absences. Had always expected her to endure them.

She tried to smile at him, didn't know what to reply, even after minutes.

"Thank you for coming for me", was all her lips could form at least and her voice wasn't more than the idea of a whisper. "Thank you for saving me."

He smiled at her. "If they ever get close to you again, I swear, I will kill them."

****

"Tifa!" The voice was hushed, coming from the corner of the corridor.

Tifa turned around, carefully. Although they had healed most of her wounds with materia, she still couldn't move so very fast.

"Over here!"

She caught Elena's blond hairs on the other side of the door.

"What are you doing there?" Tifa came closer.

Elena looked around her, before she stepped onto the corridor. "Is Cloud around?"

Tifa gave her a puzzled look. "Eh – no. He's in my room, I think."

Elena gave a nod. "Good." Elena was still looking around her.

"Why are you acting so strange?" She lowered herself onto a bank. Her legs were hurting, even after that sort a distance.

"Cloud threatened to kill us if we get closed to you ever again."

"Oh, Elena! Cloud's not going to kill anybody! – Come on, sit down."

Elena gave her a doubtful look, but after a moment, she sat down, smiling at her. "It's good to see you back on your feet again! You already look very healthy again!"

Tifa smiled. "Thank you."

"Uhm… I am here about the children. – Ehm. We – they – I am sorry to tell you that they are held ransom…"

Tifa nodded, slowly. She had figured something like that already, but to hear it spoken tore her heart and the expression must have been very clearly all over her face, for Elena went on almost in the same moment: "They aren't treated badly, I assure you. They are held hostage and… they would be worth a lot less if they were treated badly. – And after what I've seen last, they are treated well."

Tifa nodded. Tried to keep composed.

"I'm sorry for only telling you now. We've known for quite a while, but as there is no way to solve the situation at the moment,… Shachou told us not to tell you. … He… he didn't want you to worry." Studying her face for a reaction, but Tifa knew not how to react. On the one hand, she felt angry. Perhaps, had she known, she would have been a bit more careful. Perhaps she wouldn't have walked into that trap, blindly. Perhaps she would have still have, out of hope. But it was so typical Rufus to try and manipulate and keep information from her. On the other hand, he _had_ been considerate about her state of mind. Although he might only just have been because a perturbed mind wouldn't have been as fixed on the projects as she had been. Perhaps both.

"Uhm… anyway", Elena started after a few moments again, "I am here… Shachou wants me here because of a suggestion."

"A suggestion?" Mystified.

"Ehm-hm. Um… you see, maybe your friends are going to look at the money you receive from Shin-Ra as blood money?"

Tifa gave an uncertain nod. Cloud seemed to have gathered even more dislike for Shin-Ra since he had left. "Hm… could be."

"So, what Shin-Ra offers you instead is to get your children and your friend back."

For a moment, Tifa couldn't but stare at her. That sounded nearly too good to be true. But knowing Rufus, it had surely several advantages for him. Perhaps, he thought about buying himself off. So she wouldn't even think about coming to him in the future and demanding something because she had saved his life. Although she could just imagine how he'd laugh into her face when she tried anything close to it. Maybe, he thought that she would assume her anti-Shin-Ra position again and didn't want to finance terrorism again. More likely, as no demands hadn't been made to her, Edge was trying to blackmail Junon. Shin-Ra Junon depended a lot more on the public opinion than Shin-Ra had at any time before. So, it could only be good for publicity to free Barret and the children and exceedingly bad if they ignored the demands and they were executed.

"We don't know yet where they are imprisoned. It surely isn't Edge, but Staffa is kind of likely. It seems that they are building up some new kind of prison there – it's an island close to where Scarlet's parents are supposed to have be from. But it could as well be that they are dragged over the entire country to avoid being tracked."

Tifa nodded, slowly. It wasn't a bad deal. Shin-Ra surely had more manpower. For her, it was maybe best. And maybe, maybe Rufus was just being considerate. Well, very maybe. "Tell Rufus, I'll take his deal."

Elena nodded, seemed to like her answer but also seemed to be a bit uncertain about how to interpret maybe the pause or her rather cold reply. "He'll like that…"

"How is he, anyway?" The words just slipped Tifa's lips.

"He's been quite ill since Monday." Elena answered her question mechanically, eyes directed to something behind her, her hand feeling for her weapon.

In the same moment, Tifa caught sight of Cloud who had just passed around the corner several metres down the corridor, eyes now wide in surprise. Tifa was on her legs in the same moment, covered the distance between Elena and Cloud before Cloud could react in any inappropriate way, although the movement hurt, badly.

"What is _she_ doing here?!"

"She just told me about the children." Ushering him into her room.

"How can I protect you from them if you talk to them?" The hurt was obvious from Cloud's voice.

"There's no need for you to protect me from Elena."

"No need?! – But…"

"It's alright, Cloud. They won't do anything to me. I –" She hadn't yet explained to him what exactly she had been doing over the last few weeks.

"Why were you asking after that Shinra's health?"

Tifa gave a sigh. It wouldn't be easy to explain it. By no means. "He – they aren't that bad, Cloud. Things have changed, even Shin-Ra has changed." Had he? Why was she thinking of him ever since she had laid eyes on Elena, anyway?

"So it's true…", Cloud muttered and the expression on his face was angry.

"What?" Puzzled. "What's true?"

Cloud went to several newspapers and picked up one from under the bulk, dropping it onto the bed.

The headline was broad, the photo below it showed her walking awkwardly next to Rufus, surrounded by Turks. '_Shinra's new bitch_'. It nearly chocked her.

"Is it?!" Tifa nearly jumped at the edge in his voice, the anger in it.

"Are you crazy?!", staring at Cloud. "How can you even _believe_ such a thing?! As if I would! – He is still _Rufus Shinra_, after all! That man tried to _murder_ me!" And you tried to kiss him…

She ripped the newspaper open, fearing to find a picture of that. But the only pictures shown were some from the opening. Not very compromising, at least as long as you didn't want to show that she wasn't made for this kind of event.

"He never touched me!" At least not in the kind of sense Cloud thought. "And believe me – he would have rather shot me than anything else!" She was _quite_ sure on _that_, wasn't she? "He's a jerk!" _Really_?

"But you asked the Turk how he was doing", Cloud insisted.

"I…" _Good point. Why on earth had she?_ "Because – it was polite."

"_Polite_? He almost killed you!"

"Cloud, I could have also asked about Tseng. That I asked about him was only because Elena had talked about him. It was just… well… polite… Elena was feeling kind of awkward and I didn't want her to."

Cloud didn't answer for a while just looked at her. "She's a _Turk_."

"Elena is nice. Just because they fought against us doesn't mean that they are all bad. Vincent was a Turk, too, and he isn't bad."

"_They_ are still leeching on to Shin-Ra."

"Cloud, things have changed. Shin-Ra…" She caught Cloud's hurt look at her. "Cloud… I certainly don't to be protected against Shin-Ra_ Junon_. They… Cloud, they aren't evil. Rufus isn't evil. They are really trying to rebuild this planet without destroying it."

"Have you ever thought about what Aeris has died for?!"

Tifa sighed. Why was she actually defending Shin-Ra? She hadn't thought so very differently only two months ago. "I don't know for sure whether Rufus really _wants_ to repay the planet. But point is, he could as well pull up on mako again or maybe, less bad, on oil and he isn't. It's… I think it doesn't matter so very much whether he's doing that because he feels indebt or because it's just cheapest. What matters is the planet. – And Aeris would agree with me!" _Would she? _Perhaps when she, too, had come to the conclusion that it was both with Rufus.

"Aeris never cared only about the _aim_. Once, the way was important to you, too!"

"It isn't like they are doing anything bad or murdering anybody!"

"They nearly ruined Barret." Cloud muttered this, was half turning around. He didn't like arguments and Tifa was surprised he had actually kept arguing until now.

"That's not nearly as bad as they have been before. Or as they could have done! That's business! Barret knew the risks when he took them!" God, did she really sound like Rufus already?!

"Is their money so good that you don't even need a consciousness anymore?" It wasn't more then a mumble, his head was hanging down and he was already half in the doorway.

"They haven't paid me off! I am not parroting them! And I am certainly not betraying Avalanche or anyone! All _I_ am trying to do is to make sure that they aren't lying! I don't believe them any more than you do!"

"But you _are_ working for them." Sobered.

Tifa gave another sigh. "Yes. I _am_ working for them."

"Aeris _died_ for this planet."

Another sigh. "I'm not _collaborating_ or anything. – What should I have done, in your opinion? Sit put in that damn Shin-Ra palace and worry my head off because I have no word of Barret and the children while Rufus is rebuilding who knows what kind of a company? I had the opportunity to check them and I took it!"

"I should have killed him, then he wouldn't have made use of you like this."

The thought of killing Rufus – how close she had actually been to it – frightened her now. "He didn't _use_ me! – I found a body in front of my door, barely alive. I didn't know it was him! If I had known – I wouldn't have helped. I think. – I mean, when I realized it was him, I … I tried to shoot him."

Cloud stayed silent. But there was still accuse in his eyes.

"I'm not a murderer, Cloud. If I have to kill someone, he must be capable to look into my face. He must be capable to defend himself. Not asleep." Or hurt or looking as sorry as Rufus has had. "I help people, I'm sorry. And don't accuse me of something you weren't capable of yourself!"

This did shut Cloud up for a while, a deep crease appearing between his brows.

"I'm sorry", he mumbled at last, turned away. But the accusation in his eyes hadn't died away.

_Perhaps, if you had been there, things would have gone different__ly?_ The thought had suddenly sprung to her mind and it frightened her. The quickness with which it had jumped to her mind frightened her the more.

"I thought I was coming to save you from them. And you are working for them."

"I am not working _for_ Shin-Ra! I'm … I told you why! And it's not like I don't know what I'm doing and _you_ have to come and save me from them!" Tifa snapped. It had sounded like an accuse and the last thing she needed was to be accused of something she herself wasn't even sure about. It wasn't like she hadn't tried to involve him. If he had come back after her phone calls from Edge, he could have changed a lot. But it was true that she had stopped to call him since she had accepted to work for Shin-Ra. Perhaps because it was true and she did feel guilty. Or because she wasn't caring as much anymore.

"You never even told me."

"How on earth should I know you happen to listen to my messages?!"

"But… you know that I am always listening to them!"

"You never called back, did you?!"

Cloud opened his mouth but closed it then just to open it again after a few moments, but without saying anything. Then, he turned around, hesitated in the doorway.

"I'm sorry." With these words, he disappeared and left her alone on the bed.

For a moment, she stared after him, frozen inside. _As if sorry was enough_. And once again, the thought frightened her. Unaware of it, she took up the newspaper and looked at the article. There were some photos of them. She, looking completely awkward and Rufus with a cold and maybe disgusted expression in his eyes that betrayed the broad, friendly and enthusiastic smile on his lips. On no photo were they closer than half a metre, no photo suggested anything. But the article turned it into the greatest affair of Junon. Her ears burned with anger after she had read it. No one had ever spit into her face that openly.

And Cloud had believed it. Or at least part of him had believed it.

As if she could be bought that easily.

As if Rufus gave as much as a damn about her. He hadn't even kissed her when he had the chance.

As if she… well, her opinion concerning him had changed. A lot. And no, she didn't wish he had.

It was the first time in months – over half a year – she had seen Cloud. And the first longer conversation they had had was an argument. Over the one topic she had thought they would never disagree about.

What did she care about Rufus and his Turks? No one but Elena had shown up so far. It wasn't like she was resentful, but… she had saved Rufus life, lived with them for months, worked with them and no one seemed to see a reason to visit her. And she didn't believe them too afraid of Cloud to come. Not Tseng, not Rufus in any case, nor his other Turks.

She forced herself up, threw the newspaper onto the bed. There was no way she could blame Cloud for his prejudices. She had had the same. And perhaps, he was righter than she was now.

"Cloud!" As fast as she could, she stumbled after him. "Cloud!"

He wasn't standing far, turned around when she nearly fell from the room.

"I'm sorry, Cloud. You… I'm sorry. – You were right about them. It was Shin-Ra who offered me this job and what happened was because I took the job. And nobody sees it necessary… I mean, it took _you_ to save me."

Cloud looked at her, frowned, didn't seem to understand.

Tifa inhaled. "I remember you. That you came for me." In fact, she didn't remember much. Just the curtain of water which had suddenly parted, a blurry form and than, hazily, an imagination of blue eyes. "Your eyes just wouldn't let me go." Somehow, it felt wrong. How Cloud hesitated a moment before he took her into his arms. How his arms hesitated. As if he, too, wasn't caring as much anymore.

"I promised to come for you if you were in trouble, didn't I?", he mumbled. "And that's what I'm here for now." It didn't sound right and Tifa knew not why. Nor did Cloud's embracement feel the way it used to feel.

"I am going to get the children back", he promised when he let her go, after they had barely touched.

Tifa looked at him, tried to figure out her feelings. "Cloud, they aren't in Edge. And even if they were… things have changed there, too. Their security is a lot tighter now. They would be waiting for you in there. You – it's not going to work a third time."

"_Third_?"

"We… I told you that we wanted to get Tseng out. Barret agreed on that, too." It had been about the last call she had made to Cloud and she asked herself why he didn't remember.

Cloud gave her a sore look.

"Rufus…" She remembered how the clouds of dust had parted, how he had offered her his hand, the arrogance of the entire way and felt guilty as her heart accelerated. "is good with weapons, we know that. And… we both had the same aim. He could have left me back but didn't. He isn't bad. He… Shin-Ra actually offered free Barret and the children."

There was accusion in his eyes. "You _trust_ them?"

"Yes. I trust them. It would be suicide to go there ourselves."

Cloud shook his head. "No. If they free them, they'll keep them as hostages. I am going to get them."

"But, Cloud, we don't even know where they are! Edge is hell at the moment. They will kill us, the moment we enter! And even if we find them, they'll just kill us on our way out! I won't have the children involved into a fire fight! Shin-Ra can't effort that the children get hurt! They have the manpower to free them!"

"You cannot trust Shin-Ra. I will get them."

"Cloud, please! It would be suicide! It would kill the children!"

Cloud didn't answer and Tifa could see the determination in his eyes, knew that she wouldn't be able to convince him. "Okay. Then, I will come with you."

If she came with him, she could make sure, maybe, that the children wouldn't be hurt. Or at least, Cloud wasn't going to death alone. She was pretty sure that they would get very closed to being killed on the very attempt. She had read about the new security systems in Edge and even if they had fought Sephrioth and won, they couldn't fight an entire army. Additionally, before they could leave, she had to patch up again. And it would take quite a while to get her mako-mained muscles back into shape. That gave Shin-Ra time to fulfil its promise.

Cloud smiled at her answer. "Good. First, we will save the children and then, we will get Aeris back."

* * *

_So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I hope, I will be able to recreate the other soon, too._

_I'd be glad to hear your opinion again, if you like to._

_Hope you enjoyed._


	17. Allegro Moderato

_So, this is the next chapter __^^.The title refers to a piece from Schubert from his Unfinished Symphony which I was listening to when I got the idea. By no means needs to be the composer mentioned below._

* * *

Chapter seventeen: Allegro Moderato

Cloud carefully touched her arm. The music had ended and around them, everybody rose for the break. Their seats weren't so very good. There wasn't much to be seen, too many heads in front of them, too many people taller than she was. But not being able to see was perhaps the thing you regretted last in a concert.

She had seen the announcement of the concert and wouldn't have cared for it very much if it hadn't been for one of the composers which she had recognized by name. Normally, it wouldn't have interested her very much and she wouldn't have even tried to persuade Cloud to go to a concert because someone had told her that a certain composer was good, if it hadn't been Rufus. She didn't even remember how they had come to that topic, but she remembered very well how Rufus had stated that this composer's music was actually _good_.

And Tifa wanted to know what it was that could accomplish something as impossible as earning Rufus' approval.

It had taken forever to persuade Cloud to go, but she was sure he was glad now. She hadn't known that music could be so beautiful and it was so much of a relieve after the last few weeks. First at all, healing at been extremely painful, even with potions or materia. Even more so, because her body didn't react well at first to the training.

Secondly, it seemed Cloud didn't believe a word of what she had said concerning Shin-Ra. Or that she hadn't let herself being wrapped up by them. If he was talking at all, he was constantly talking about reviving Aeris. Or, strangely, about Yuffi and Wutai where he seemed to have spent quite some time.

Whenever she talked to Cloud, she felt guilty and his sad blue eyes made her feel even more guilty. She felt guilty because she had enjoyed the time at Shin-Ra, because she wanted to continue her work there, because she thought so highly about the Turks and especially Rufus now. But what made her feel the most guilty was that somehow, she couldn't bring herself to feel as free and as protected with Cloud as before. She couldn't forgive him for leaving her alone, for not being there, for accusing her of collaboration with Shin-Ra when there had been no other choice and he not around.

Elena's infrequent visits and at least the news that the children and Barret weren't treated badly cheered her up a at least a bit. The Turk was very nice and they got on better and better and even Cloud didn't seem to disapprove of her meetings with Elena after a while. But there was no way to convince him that it was too dangerous for both them and the children to try and free them. She knew not how many times she had tried, but every time he had just ceased listening.

It had been a very warm and bright day, but when they reached the open air lobby, the wind was chilling and Tifa realized that she had forgotten her coat. She excused herself and left Cloud to wait for her; she wouldn't be long.

The corridors were empty now, but when she came to the intersection where she should have chosen the corridor down, she heard several people approaching. She barely recognized Isodora before she decided to take the small stairway up and the longer way around to avoid the group; she was in no mood whatsoever to talk to Isodora or even to meet her or any of her friends. At Rufus' opening, they had made it pretty obvious that they thought nothing of her, criticising her speech even right in front of her. Since then, she certainly felt a lot less sorry about what Rufus had done to them.

She actually missed their conversations over the dinner table dearly, Rufus, Tseng, the other Turks, the company she had had.

The person who passed down another staircase didn't pay any more attention to the surrounding than she did and only in the last minute did she mange to avoid running into the other.

"Sorry", she muttered, didn't even take a closer look but turned to walk on.

"Tifa!" The voice made her jump and her eyes trailed upwards over black and white clothing to the face.

"Rufus…" She felt another jolt when their eyes met. He was perfectly groomed as usual and the white patch almost looked as if it had been designed for the outfit.

"Ehm…" He fell silent again, studied her, seemed surprised to meet her. "What… May I ask what you are doing here?"

"I'm watching the concert." She felt strange, her stomach empty. "Uhm… I saw the name of the composer." He had to think her so uneducated!

"Oh. Yes…, of course."

Silence.

"And you, what are you doing here?" She couldn't quite assess his expression.

"I'm wa… listening to the concerto, too."

"I see."

Another pause. She felt his eyes on her, felt embarrassed by the lack of style of her clothes.

"Are you in good health again?"

She smiled. "Yes, thank you. I _patched up_ nicely."

"You're as blunt as ever." There was a smile edging around his lips and she realized that this corridor actually wasn't cold at all.

"Where have you left your Turks?"

A small smile. "Tseng and Elena are in the lobby. Reno and Rude are on the balcony, making sure that nobody plants a bomb there during the brake." The smile grew into a smirk. "I got lost."

"Lost? With two Turks on both arms?"

A smug grin and Rufus flicked his hair. "Well, lost on _intend_."

"You really _are_ trying to drive them nuts."

"Don't worry about them; Reno and Rude think I'm with Tseng and Elena and those two think I'm with Reno and Rude. Besides, _I_ am not going to drive them crazy."

"So, if you get lost on intend, why do you have Turks at all?"

"Company?"

Tifa smiled at that but didn't know how to go on. They fell silent again, but Rufus seemed to still be studying her and his eyes felt strange on her.

"So… Elena told me you have been ill? Are you better now?", she tried after a while.

"Pardon? Oh… yes. Yes, of course. Thank you."

Silence again. This time a bit longer. Just when she disengaged her eyes to leave, Rufus started again, as if to keep her from leaving. "Is your friend Cloud vagrant again?"

"No…no. We are here together, actually, only he's waiting in the lobby. I just went to get my coat." She couldn't assess the expression on Rufus' face. For a moment, it seemed to close up, was still that close when he asked the next question: "What are your future plans concerning Shin-Ra, then?"

She gave an uncertain shrug. "I would still like to continue working for you, but at the moment it's a bit difficult. Cloud doesn't like Shin-Ra very much."

Rufus gave a sneer. "He made _that_ quite obvious when we met in hospital."

Tifa gave him a surprised look, felt another jolt. Until now she had thought he hadn't given a damn. "You were at the hospital?!"

Now it was Rufus' turn to look surprised. "Why, yes, of course!"

"Oh… I… I didn't know. I'm sorry. Thank you, that was very kind of you!" Was it really that warm in the corridor?

Rufus sneered. "Kind? Now, that's the first time somebody's ever called me _that_!"

She smiled, a bit awkwardly. "Uhm… I'd really like to continue working for Shin-Ra, but I still have to sort that out with Cloud. He doesn't trust you. He doesn't even trust you to get the children back and… he wants to do that himself." She hesitated a moment, then added without knowing why: "He also wants to bring Aeris back."

"You mustn't let him." His reply was sharp and in the same moment, a frown passed his face.

"Do what?"

"Both. I can't have him interfering with my plans. He'd just screw things up. And trying to revive somebody is purely insane."

Tifa swallowed her anger at his first answer. "I do think so, too, but Cloud says there are two ways, actually. For the one, he just needs a hair and if that doesn't work out, there's a method where he'd need lots of materia."

Rufus flicked his hair, seemed amused. "Let me get that straight: the human DNA consists out of 3 billion bases which form about 20 000 genes, scientist all over the world have not the slightest clue as how their coding works and your _friend_ wants to clone her from something scientists don't even consider as raw material?"

"I don't think it's a good idea, either. But Cloud's not listening on that topic."

"Not a good idea?" Rufus studied her scornfully, hesitated a moment, before he started. "Do you remember Hojo?"

"Your mad scientist Hojo?"

"The same." He looked around him, drew closer. "This is company secret, one of the rather dark ones, so I want you to keep that between the two of you, got that?"

"Any secret of your company that isn't dark?"

A frown passed his face and he stopped in front of her. "Perhaps not, but this one is of the uglier kind, most files luckily lost in cause of meteor." His voice was quite low as he flicked his hair. "Human transmutation is just the kind of subject that Hojo liked. My father approved, of course, he actually _liked_ the idea. Had it worked, they would have been able to build an army of Sephrioths, but needless to say, it failed at large. Hojo killed a bit more than the usual number of subjects before he produced two or three _results_ with the help of materia. They didn't live very long and I assure you that was mercy on them. You might not particularly want to do that to a friend."

Although he was about half a metre away from her, she felt his breath tickle her auricular and what she felt was so very different from the emotions his words stirred up.

"This is sick. Your company makes me sick, Rufus", she produced at last when she realized it had been silent for too long and she had looked at him for too long.

"Tifa!"

Disengage, draw back, retreat, what ever you called it, it was a very quick movement into opposite directions of both parties as the drove around.

Cloud was standing in the corridor, staring at them, Tifa's coat forgotten in his hand.

"What are you doing here?!"

"I do seem to get asked that questions quite a lot these days. – As before, this happens to be my property."

"Didn't I tell you to stay away from her?!"

"Cloud, we met by pure accident."

Rufus sneered. "My, you seem pretty itchy. So let me put…"

"Rufus, hush!", Tifa interrupted him in the same moment before the provocation got things to escalate. "Cloud, please, leave him alone!"

"He tried to…"

"Don't 'hush' me!" Rufus snapped back, turned back to Cloud. "Now, this is…!"

"Shut up, Rufus!" Tifa had reached Cloud in the same moment, took him forcefully by the arm. "Let's leave, okay?" She nearly dragged him further into the corridor, away from Rufus. "Leave him!"

"I'm going to…"

"Cloud, stop it! There are Turks all over!"

"I _knew_ the paper was right!" With disgust.

"Nonsense! He was just telling me something he didn't want to shout down the entire corridor, damn it!"

He tried to free himself from her grip, tried to turn around.

"Cloud, listen! This place is crawling with Turks! They'll be there even before you reached him! Why do you think he's smirking into you face, hn?!"

He gave her an angry stare. "Stop lying."

"I'm not lying, damn it! – He told me – if you _have_ to know – about human transmutation, that's what he didn't want to shout down the corridor, okay?"

"He just told you…. He was _so_ close!"

Their voices were quickly disappearing in the distance and Rufus stared after them, drew a deep breath.

Three weeks and one illness later, he was exactly where he had stared out. With his back to the wall and a sword at his larynx.

He had tried to convince himself, had been so very sure this morning that she didn't mean any more to him than Isodora or one of her silly friends. That she, in fact, wasn't even pretty and so very uneducated and uncultivated. He had tried to get rid of the thoughts of her by getting back her children, as an atonement of some sort. But all she had to do was only to walk by. Only to look. Only to breath.

"Rufus?" Tseng was suddenly standing next to him. "What are you staring at?" His expression told him pretty precisely that he was quite angry that Rufus had gotten himself lost.

"Nothing so _very_ important." He smirked, turned away and was looking into the face of Isodora. "Aren't you coming, President Rufus?" She tried to slip her arm under his. "The concert-_o_ is going to continue any minute and next piece is going to be _very_ pretty!"

Rufus disengaged himself with a short but not unfriendly gesture. "I am very sorry to be deprived of your beautiful company, Isodora, but I received a very urgent phone call. I fear I can't help it but have to go." Although he was all regret and sadness on the outside, he was furious inside. He hated it if he didn't get what he wanted. And _not_ wanting Tifa had been precisely what he had wanted over the last few weeks. "We are leaving, Tseng."

"But", Isodora was surely insistent, "what are we going to do without your company?"

"I'm sure you will do well without me. You were having such an interesting conversation with your girlfriend on the new cast of '_Loveless_', I'm sure she can't wait to hear the rest of your opinion. But I do hope you will forgive me. _Vale_." With a smooth and short nod of approval, he turned around and away to Tseng and Elena while the first notes of the concert slipped out to them.

He was used to get what he wanted. Not only because people usually gave him when he demanded something, but most of all because he made them give him what he demanded. Now, he wasn't even sure what he wanted which angered him the more. But at least, and that was most important of all, Tifa hadn't realized anything.

****

"We really met by accident, alright?! I didn't know he would be there this evening!" Why, then, did she feel so very guilty?

"I wouldn't mind anyone but him!" He closed his mouth in the same moment, a look of shock on his face as if he hadn't intended of saying something the like or even saying it at all.

For a moment, she stared at him. Couldn't really believed what she had just heard, couldn't believe he really meant it, but the expression on his face didn't leave much of a doubt.

"I… I came for you, Tifa! Yuffi would have gone to save Aeris, too. But I returned for you, Tifa! And you…! To even think of it! You and _him_!" She had never seen him that desperate, but the anger was rising far too quickly inside her to give much about the guilt in his face or the so very typical way in which he tried to excuse himself.

"Yuffi?!" She felt anger burning. Did that girl try to steal everything?!

"I can talk to her about Aeris! At least _she_ wants to help me! But I thought you …"

Tifa couldn't but stare, was speechless.

"How can you _betray_ us like this?!"

For a moment, she was even more speechless at his words, slowly regained her composure: "I am betraying nobody! He just told me that … that it would be absolutely crazy – impossible – to revive Aeris!"

"You believe him."

"He had no reason to lie", she replied weakly, wasn't able to reply anything else with that storm inside her head.

He muttered something and closed the door behind him, leaving her alone in the room.

****

It was raining cats and dogs, it was chillingly cold, the warmth of the day before had disappeared as if it had never been there. As if the sun had never shone over the concert hall. As if the world had done her a favour and that day had never happened.

Tifa was quite thankful she had reached the small café during the small pause the rain had made. Outside, not even the rest of the Junon canon could be seen. It was far too foggy.

She had barely spoken with Cloud for two days. He was angry, didn't believe her, maybe didn't want to believe her. She was angry, felt betrayed, guilty at the same time because he wasn't completely wrong and she had to admit that she enjoyed Rufus' company a lot more than was appropriate. Maybe that was the only good thing about the upcoming journey; she wouldn't care quite as much when they returned. Perhaps she and Cloud could even find back together.

She looked very much forward to seeing Elena. She and Cloud would leave the following morning for the children and Barret and she hoped very much that Elena would come up with more information, at least a little bit. She still hoped for something that would hold them back, but knew there really wasn't anything that would hold Cloud back. Not if it came from Shin-Ra.

But instead of Elena, a pristine white frame lowered itself onto the seat opposite of her and against everything she wanted, she felt a jolt when her eyes caught the little smirk on his face and his eyes a moment later.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

"Elena's down with the flu. Caught it from Tseng, I presume." He flicked his hair.

"Leave, please."

"Why would I? I just arrived." He signalled for the waiter.

"Cloud's going to kill you."

"Indeed? I never thought him a killing person." He gestured towards the window panel covered in floods of rain. "Besides, I don't think he'll come here in this weather, just to spy on you."

Tifa sighed. If she was honest, she was glad to see him again before they left. "My, you're persistent." She mimicked the words he might have chosen and the way in which he would have pronounced them. "What are you here for? And I don't buy Elena's ill."

He gave a shrug while the waiter severed drinks she didn't remember ordering. "I exaggerated a bit, I admit that. She's just got a cold. _I_ came here to emphasize things."

"Emphasize?" The twilight of the café shadowed his face.

"Regarding your journey. I don't want you to go."

"Oh?" She felt guilty about being so happy to see him again. Or that he didn't want her to go.

He pushed a file over the table. "I don't want you to interfere and I don't want you there. I'm not having two children freed for parents who are dead. Or sabotage us."

She didn't open the file, felt a bit irritated by the businesslike cold he was displaying. "We fought Sephrioth, remember? Nobody's just going to kill us off."

He studied her for a moment, thoughtfully. "You would be very lucky if they just '_killed you off_'_._ – Please, read it."

She snatched the file, hesitated a moment but then directed her eyes onto the first page. At first she thought the one who had written the summary had exaggerated beyond good, but the farer she got, the more she realized that this person was actually fighting to stay impartial.

Rufus waited for her to finish, watched her calmly. He had taken the glass coaster from below his glass and was slowly and arrogantly playing with it.

"Do you know what this is?", she managed to produce, surprised by how much anger and repulsion the text had stirred up.

He didn't answer, just looked at her and the entire arrogance of it should have made her as angry as she had been the first day.

"This is… this is 'to rule the world with fear'." She pronounced it with all the disgust she could managed.

Rufus' eyes shot up from the coaster, were on her in the same second as if shocked. But he sounded very calm when he answered: "No, it is not. That is 'terror', that's far beyond 'fear'." He pushed his hair aside, seemed lost for a moment, but caught himself quickly: "It was obtuse to say that, even more to think it, I acknowledge that. I was… I was angry back then. – Still, I wouldn't have _purged_ the country."

"Wouldn't you? Your father found it quite alright to drop the plate onto Sector Seven!"

"That was plainly _stupid_ and no _purge_. – Avalanche tried to eradicate every form of life from the surface of this planet, so, please, let's don't make it a competition."

Tifa sneered. "Yeah, right, Shinra."

"If you go there, they'll get you. And then, they'll torture you. You know a bit too much for me to let that happen."

She nearly snapped something back, but in the same moment, she thought she caught a gentle expression in his eyes and it unbalanced her somewhat. She glared at him for several moments, but there was really nothing else to say but: "Okay. Perhaps you're right."

"Would you please go tell your vagrant friend, then?"

Another sneer, she was angry how he thought that all she had to do was talk to Cloud. "If it were that easy."

"Is it not? I thought you Avalanche people were one heart and one soul?"

"I thought you just claim to know more about Avalanche than I do?", she snapped back. "Cloud has a mind quite on his own."

"Normally, that doesn't keep you from trusting a friends' words."

"He thinks we are involved."

"I figured so much already. But it still doesn't explain why he doesn't believe you, does it?"

Tifa shrugged, watched him turn the coaster. "He thinks I buy your lies _because_ he thinks we are involved."

"I am not _lying_." He pronounced that almost quietly. "Doesn't he know you?"

She sighed. "He feels guilty. I think he doesn't… well, he got a bit too close to a friend of ours…" She hesitated a moment. It wasn't really what she was thinking, but she would surely not tell _Rufus_ that she was quite certain that Cloud cared a lot less about her now. "But he left her to find me working for our enemy. He feels guilty and betrayed."

Rufus turned the coaster a bit too quickly, bored, perhaps. "And _you_ still love him, right?"

"Well, yes. Yes, of course I do. He's Cloud, I'm Tifa, of course I love him." She hesitated, the words had sprung to her tongue automatically and they sounded very much like it, even more so as she grew slower when she studied him. "…Maybe…", she added in a bit lower voice, remembering the last weeks, her doubt. She was astonished by the large scale of doubt. But Rufus surely hadn't noticed for almost simultaneously with her first answer, the coaster had slipped his hand, spun over the table and he just caught her glass before it fell. Part of the liquid spilled over his hand.

"I'm sorry." He carefully wiped his hand off with his serviette. "So, he wants to free your family because he doesn't trust us and most of all because he wants to atone, even if he gets both of you killed. And you run after him because he hasn't left you often enough, yet." Dryly, arrogantly, Rufus flicked his hair.

For a moment, Tifa felt paralysed, nothing but hurt, then, slowly, anger rose up inside her. Anger that he of all people dared to fling the truth at her and in such a cynical way. But instead of snapping back, she took her glass up and took a gulp for she didn't trust herself to speak. She couldn't have her voice breaking in front of Rufus because he was so very right, because she feared that Cloud had only come for her out of duty and most of all because Rufus wasn't acting in any way like she would have liked him to act.

"Anyway, if you can't stop him, I just won't let the two of you go."

She looked up, surprised by the sudden change in his voice: "Yeah, right, send your Turks, Rufus." She was too frustrated to wonder what Rufus had in mind to stop them, took another gulp from her drink. But she really hoped he had something to keep them back.

She tried to swallow the anger and everything else with another sip. If they were leaving, at least she didn't want to part with _him_ on bad terms. "Hm… you chose the drink well."

Rufus gave a laugh. "Do you think so?"

She took another sip. "Yes, quite." She tried to mimic his upper-class accent.

He smiled, also taking a sip from his. "So, you really think he can't be persuaded to stay?"

Tifa shook her head and asked herself why it felt so heavy, why she felt so drowsy all of the sudden or why it was so very difficult to pronounce a simple and apologetic: "No power in the world."

Rufus calmly reached over the table and took the glass from her hands, gently. The small brush felt good; so very warm, so very careful.

There was a smirk in his face as he rose. "Then, I think, I'm not quite as sorry as perhaps I should be."

The room was loosing contours and she felt herself slipping from the chair only to be caught in the same moment, carefully.

* * *

_I hope you enjoyed and as always, I'd be glad to hear your opinion._

_The next chapter might be a bit shorter but I think it will be time to introduce Verdot to the game. ^^_


	18. Facades and Protection

_I am most incredibly sorry that it took so long to update. I thought I could make a new post before I went on holidays, but as you've seen I didn't manage to. Later on, I took a language course and it was quite difficult to get into the internet there, not to mention find time to even write._

_And, well, I've been fighting a writer's block over the last month._

_So, I hope you will forgive me and enjoy the following chapter.^^_

_Thanks, though, for all of the reviews you sent me in the meantime._

* * *

Chapter eighteen: Façade and Protection

_About one month earlier__, an unknown place, far, far away from Junon._

"Father? There is some one to visit you."

The elderly man studied his daughter. "Show him in, please."

It didn't seem as if a second had passed before two black suits moved into the room, a bulky one and another, rather untidy one. Two suits who, even after several years, were impossible not to recognize.

"Yo, boss." For Reno, the greeting was almost hesitant. Rude didn't move a muscle; as usual, his sunglasses didn't betray any emotion.

Still, it was everything Verdot needed to stare. Two Turks – two of _his_ Turks – were standing in _his_ living room. He had never believed this day would actually come. The Turks knew his skills; they wouldn't face him to kill him. So, he was needed. So, the waiting hadn't been in vain.

He cleared his throat. "What does Tseng need me for?"

Reno and Rude exchanged a look, Rude shifted uncomfortably.

"Uhm", Reno started out. "It isn't exactly Tseng…"

Verdot's eyes darted to Reno's, got him to fall quiet in the same moment. "Has that lying little bastard sent you?" He had always suspected that Tseng must have cut a deal with _someone_. He had always suspected Rufus knew. Tseng's word he had been sure about, but he had always feared Rufus' bullet in his back.

Reno and Rude exchanged another uncomfortable look.

"Come on, Reno, your tongue used to be pretty quick!"

"Uhm… Well, Shachou…"

"He wants his hell born company back, doesn't he?"

"You heard about it? Shachou is in Junan at the moment and…"

"Tell him: I am well coming for Tseng, not for him."

Reno shifted his weight again and Rude flinched under Verdot's look. Verdot knew he wasn't in the position to make demands. Not if he wanted to get back. Felicitas had her own life now and there hadn't been a day when he hadn't wished to be back with the Turks. Or at least died a honourable Turk's death.

Reno shifted his weight again. "Tseng _sends_ us, Sir. Tseng ordered us here."

"Tseng always had too much sympathy for the boy." He got up.

"Are you coming?"

"Of course I am coming!"

****

_Present, Junon._

She had woken to a room of which she didn't know how she had entered it.

She had been drugged inside a café and Cloud was surely mad with worry and suspicion by now.

She had been abducted by the man who had sentenced her to death.

She hadn't been as happy for years.

Rufus' last words were still revolving in her head, the tiny smirk with which he had pronounced them. How swiftly he had gotten up and caught her. How soft the impact had been … she wished she still remembered the scent, she wished she could have been awake for a little longer.

'Then, I am not quite as sorry as I perhaps should be.' She should have been infuriated that Rufus had drugged her, abducted her and, maybe, was holding her prisoner. Instead, her heart was hammering when she thought about stalking into his office. Of course, she had to. She had to dare him, had to get him to let her leave… most of all and after that, she had to make sure that Cloud wouldn't actually try to free her and thus harm several Shin-Ra employees… or Rufus. At the end of the day, she would have to go to Staffa, together with Cloud.

But Rufus had cared enough about her to have her abducted. To abduct her himself. And somehow, her heart was somersaulting over that.

She swung her feet over the rim of the bed, she felt a little dizzy. Yesterday, going to Staffa had still been a duty to Cloud, because Cloud had saved her life, because of everything that had been before.

How could Rufus think that _abducting_ her was a solution to the problem?! How could he make it so hard for her to leave?

She tried the handle of the door, but much to her surprise, it wasn't locked. Nor was the door guarded. So, she ventured down the corridor quickly, but no one seemed to be interested that she had left her room.

The closer she got to the office, the more she felt her heart accelerating instead of anger rising. She should have been angry. She really should have been, but all she could be angry at was how difficult Rufus had made it for her now to leave for Staffa. Of course, she had long since changed her opinion about him. She had even long since started to like him, along with his Turks. And if she was honest, she had - for quite a while now - felt attracted to him, as much as she like to deny it. But what she felt now, was surely much beyond good and evil.

It was, she was sure, very far from prudent. For, if she was honest, it was very unlikely that Rufus truly cared about her. There was no reason on earth why he should. She had treated him badly, she had scorned him openly, she talked back to him, she surely couldn't be anyone he liked. He could have as well abducted her because she would have crossed who knew what kind of agenda by going to Staffa. He could be using her. It wasn't beyond him, by no way.

But her heart was still thundering when she reached his office and as usual, two Turks were guarding the door. As she motioned to come any closer or try to enter, they stopped her.

"Shachou is not to be disturbed. Please wait."

"Not to be disturbed?! Let me in at once!" She tried to sound as angry as she should have been.

"Please wait, Ms Lockheart. He is in an important meeting."

She tried to worm her way through the Turks who didn't move an inch and thus didn't let her pass. Most of Rufus' so called 'imported meetings' were just scheduled to keep visitors out.

"Ms Lockheart, please wait, or we are required to use force."

"Who's required to use force?"

Tifa nearly jumped around her axis by the familiar voice which was even more surprisingly not coming from some who had just left his office but who was standing behind her. He was too well groomed and clothed as ever and as usual, some hair was falling a bit too artificially into his smooth face.

"Ms Lockheart insisted on speaking to you, Shachou." The Turk informed him crisply.

Rufus flicked his hair, studied her. "Well, you may accompany me, then."

With one sentence, Rufus had brought her on the edge of the anger she should have felt. It sounded so much as if he didn't care. It sounded so very arrogant. "I _may_ accompany you?!"

"Would you prefer to stay here and wait for my return?" He just threw her his usual smirk and set into motion without waiting for an answer. It angered Tifa that she had to hurry to catch up those steps, that she wasn't as angry as she should have been, that he was able to play her emotions just like that.

"You have to be quite hungry, I'm sure.", he continued offhanded.

"Your drug is a lot more than I will stomach from you!" She snapped back. He had answered in the same smug way which always left one in doubt whether he was mocking one or not. It still made her as irritated as it used to, but on the other hand it was so very warming. Because that, of course, was Rufus Shinra.

"I didn't think you'd be up already." He pushed the button to the elevator while his Turk scanned the surrounding, ignored her comment completely.

She summoned all the anger she could manage. "How could you dare to…?!"

"Now, please, don't shout it up and down the entire corridor." The elevator arrived and Rufus stepped into it first, turning around to her in almost the same moment. "I'm sorry I had to drug you, so try not to kill me for it." With these words, the door of the elevator closed behind them, leaving the Turks outside.

"You 'had to drug' me?! Is that a solution for you?! To drug people if they don't act the way you want them to act?!" It wouldn't have been so very difficult to get angry at Rufus if he hadn't apologized. Or if he hadn't been watching her with that bemused look. Or if they hadn't been alone in the elevator, close enough only to reach out for.

"No. I usually don't have people _drugged_." Rufus smirked and she didn't like the smirk; it was too ambiguous and she knew he knew she knew what he was aiming at. He pressed a button and the elevator set into motion. But she wouldn't let herself be played, just like that. Quickly, almost too quickly, she leaned forward, nearly touched his hand and she pushed the brake of the elevator. It stopped, immediately, leaving them between two stories with a very good view over what was already rebuild from Junon and the sad remains of the cannon, so close together that the view surely was the last that mattered.

"I can imagine _you_ don't. But nothing in this world gives you the right to decide where _I_'m going. Or what _I'm_ doing." Close as she was, there was no need to emphasize the sentences and she was sure he could hear her heart thundering. She was so close she was sure he could even _feel_ her heart thundering.

"Perhaps not, but if _you_ interfere with _my_ business, I _am_ stopping you." He replied calmly, didn't back away. He had locked his eyes with hers and their icy blue made it so very hard to concentrate.

"You want me to work for you, Rufus. You want to do business with me. You don't treat me like that, got that?", she almost whispered that, her tongue dry in her mouth. Knew he must have heard every word because she could almost feel his breath on her face. Rufus' icy blue eyes stared at her for a moment. It was a stubborn stare, angry at the same moment, mingled with fire. He _hated_ to be ordered and she could read it in his eyes.

"You know", she continued, sure that he had taken the point, and pushed the button again, "somehow every time I come round to like you, you manage to dissolve it the next second."

The elevator set into motion again and she turned away from Rufus to the view over Junon so he wouldn't see her smile or guess that this time, it wasn't true at all.

He sneered, contemptuously, the sneer was so very close, she could almost feel him – felt him – in her back as he brushed by. "You're almost acting as if you _think_ it's a good idea to go." In the same moment, the elevator stopped again.

"This is not about what I'm thinking!" She drove around, found herself in front of him again, nearly closer, even.

"No? Don't you just go because you _think_ you have to sacrifice your life for your Cloud's atonement?"

This time, she didn't know what to answer, was angry and knew from his smirk that he saw the anger in her eyes.

"I didn't know it was _that_ stupid to be a hero", he continued and turned away from her. The elevator sat into motion again.

His last comment was so full of scorn and so cold that it, much to her surprise, really hurt and for a moment, she couldn't but stare at Junon and his half reflection on the panel, her back again turned towards him. _It's not because of Cloud, you fool, it's because of you_. _So Cloud won't know I like you. Too much_.

"You think this will solve anything?!", she finally snapped.

"Not?", he seemed amused, she could see him smirk in the panel, how he turned back to her. "Tell me, why not?" His voice close enough to run a shiver down her spine and she knew if she turned around, she'd be looking directly into his eyes again: "You think it's going to keep Cloud from leaving? He's just going to march inside this building and get me out. And he _will_ take the detour over your office."

"Everything I need is time. We made it apparent that you were taken over the ocean. So, either your Cloud is going to storm after you or he will come in here and demand you back."

She spun around, nearly brushed him with her shoulder: "He is going to kill people in here!"

"Nonsense. He is not a killing person. If I give him a reason not to kill, he won't." His eyes were so very calm again, nailing her down, nearly, scrutinizing her face, cold, icy, much to her surprise looking at her almost softly.

"Right. Your ingenious plan has only one flaw: You're Rufus Shinra."

"Oh? You noticed?" His eyes were running over her face. How did he always manage to smell so good?

"He won't believe a word you say, you fool. You remember me, three months ago? Every reason you could have given me was another reason for me to kill you." She heard herself talk, but her eyes were running over the smirk that was forming on his lips as he replied: "Now, let that be my problem, will you?"

She couldn't look anywhere else but into his face, the rather narrow nose, the carefully drawn eyebrows… she had never noticed his eyelashes were dark. "I am not letting it happen."

"Right. As if there's anything _you_ could do." Another smirk and all they did was stare at each other. His eyes were so stormy, Tifa heard herself revolving several replies inside her head, which surely would not have been adequate, but all contained minimizing the distance drastically.

Then, suddenly, Rufus gave a short and condescending sneer, the breath hot on her face, as if he knew she had no answer.

"I could just leave." She almost whispered it.

In the same moment, the storm in Rufus' eye flashed cold of into barely restrained anger and quite abruptly turned away.

"I _am_ just leaving." She hadn't even realized that her hand had reached out for the button. There was no way she would let Cloud hurt Rufus. Or his Turks. No matter how much his cool turning away hurt.

In the same moment, his hand was at the button, so quickly that she felt the air moving when he brushed by, his scent when his movement touched her hair. In the same moment, their hands touched, his making it impossible for her to reach to button.

"You are not."

"Am I your prisoner now, Rufus?" She tried to bring every threat into that questions she could manage. It was hilarious, actually. That she wanted to protect him. That she even threatened him to protect him. That a moment ago, she had been close enough to _feel_ him speak and now, the cloth of his sleeve lifted from her arm as he drew his back. That she still only needed to lean over to…

"No. I just want you to consider."

"Consider? What? That you are acting like a tyrant again?" No matter what, watching how he looked at her from the other side of the elevator, that angry but cool stare, it would have been madness to choose a nonverbal answer and she regretted very much she hadn't.

"I want you to consider that I have many people around Edge who risk their lives so your children and your friend can be freed. Do you really ask me to put that crazy atonement of you and your friend's before their lives?"

Silence. Tifa knew not what to answer, tried not to get distracted by those two eyes that were boring into hers, by her own feelings She had suspected it wasn't all about her, but it disappointed her the more that it really wasn't only her – or perhaps wasn't her at all her – whom he had thought of when he had drugged her. And yet, she felt strangely relieved and confirmed in her feelings that he did care about the lives of his employees.

She didn't even notice that the elevator had slowed down again, only the beep when they arrived and Tseng's voice when the doors glided open woke her from her thoughts: "Is the elevator broken?"

"Not really", Rufus replied and was suddenly so very far away from her again, at Tseng's side. "Some things had to be sorted out."

Tseng raised an eyebrow, questioning.

"Tifa is going to stay."

"I am not."

Rufus turned around, the displeasure he had masked in front of Tseng now clearly apparent. "Wasn't the issue clear?" Sharply.

"I am going to slow us down…. I am going to suggest to pick up some friends, long enough so you can get them out safe." What had happened in the elevator was still burning painfully in her stomach. But there had been no way on earth he could have cared for her.

"I'm sure they are going to be very grateful to get killed, your friends." Rufus set into motion.

"I am not staying, Rufus, it wouldn't be right."

"My, it really has to be _painful_ to be so moral."

Before, she would have exploded at a comment like this, now the sarcasm was just burning painfully in her stomach and she knew it was a very good idea to avoid his company for a while. "I am leaving."

"At least wait till after lunch."

"What? You're going to drug me again?"

Rufus sneered. "I don't invest unless it repays."

"The Junon cannon repaid well. – How often did it fire, remind me?"

"Why don't you just sit down?" Rufus pointed at the table. He, too, seemed very dissatisfied. For other reasons, of course.

Tseng sat down opposite to Rufus, seemed to have enough of the current conversation for he started as soon as he had sat down: "Isodora is planning a party."

Rufus sneered. "How silly. They barely have the money to pay their bills."

Much to her disgrace, Tifa enjoyed the conversation that developed between them; there hadn't been much cheerful communication with Cloud and the more she talked to them the more she dreaded to get back. But hanging to Rufus' silly movement of brushing his hair from his face as she was, it was a very good idea to get away from them and especially him. Before he noticed anything. For she was very much afraid of how he could use them if he knew.

"I am leaving now." She got up as soon as it seemed appropriated, prepared herself for heavy protest.

"Your last word?"

"Yes. – And you won't stop me."

"Alright."

She had half hoped to be stopped and was now almost stunned by the lack of protest she got. Rufus was smirking at her, seemed to have accepted her decision which she couldn't believe; there was no way he could give in just like this. So, sure that this was only the prelude to rhetoric missile, she turned around quickly. "Bye, then."

Before anyone of the two could react, she was out of the room, hurried her steps to get out of the building as quickly as possible. But behind her, it had been silent for too long. And despite the entire discussion they had had, it hurt her how easily he had let her go. As if he didn't give much of a damn about it that she was actually in the world, breathing. On the other hand, Rufus wasn't agreeing to anything if he didn't win something with it and she wanted to be as far away as possible when he started to try and stop her.

****

"Hm… I didn't think she'd actually buy it." Rufus smirked, leaned back, watch her leave.

"Shall I order her to be stopped?" Tseng was half up.

"No, that won't be necessary."

"So, what are you planning, you little devil?"

Rufus flicked his hair, mischievously. "I am going to follow her."

Tseng gave a sigh. "Do you really think _he_ canbe convinced if she can't?"

Rufus got up, too, calmly. "He isn't Tifa, he will listen."

"I am strongly advising you not to go. Besides, I don't think we should keep Reeve waiting."

"I guess I'll have to be quick, then." Rufus had already gotten up and felt for gun in his shoulder holster.

"Rufus, why don't you just _send_ someone to disable Cloud's motorbike?"

This time, Rufus seemed to consider for a moment, then sniggered, gave a nod. "Right. Just send someone to poke his tires."

Tseng gave a satisfied nod. Rufus wasn't getting himself in danger, they'd make it to their meeting with WRO in time and by the gleam in Rufus' eyes he seemed to like the idea very much. Reno was going to be very proud when he heard about it and tell everybody for weeks without end that _he_ actually had influenced the president. Rufus wouldn't like that at all, snap a lot at Reno which would encourage the redhead even more… the next weeks were going to get very interesting, especially when Verdot was in position. He had just gotten news from Edge that, luckily, Verdot would be able to make contact a bit earlier than planned.

"Oh… she's going to be _so_ mad! Good thinking, Tseng!", Rufus added, already on the way to the helicopter platform. "Are you coming? We need to persuade WRO to give us what we want."

Tseng sighed and got up. Somehow, Rufus would always stay Rufus. But Tseng did like his own plan, too. Perhaps, the best part about it was that Tifa would actually be leaving. He hadn't liked to see how much Rufus had been preoccupied with her while she had turned back to Cloud without as much as saying 'thank you' for their rescue. He couldn't quite forgive her for that.

* * *

_Once again, I hope you enjoyed.__ I'm planning on some rather unsuccessful negotiations between Rufus and Scarlet and Heidegger, but I believe it won't be more than three or five chapters until the story's finished ^^. _

_If you don't see another chapter until next week, it might take a while again. I'm going to China and I'm not sure if and when I'll be able to use the internet._

_Please review, though ^^_


	19. Only Fools Believe in Love

_Thank you once again for all of your kind reviews. ^^_

_So… here comes the next chapter. Beginning tomorrow, I am going to be in China. I hope very much that I am going to find a computer with internet access which I can abuse to put up next chapters. _

_So, if you don't hear from me in a while, don't worry. I am going to continue, I am definitely going finish this story, it might only take some time until I find a willing computer._

_(Btw: the title refers to a quote from B. Crawford from Weiß Kreuz: 'Only fools believe in love and only fools can live for love. If I could be a fool for only once, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing'... I kind of like oxymerons ^^)_

_So, anyways, enjoy reading!!!!_

* * *

Chapter nineteen: Only Fools Believe in Love

_Three weeks earlier_, Verdot entered Rufus' office. The head of New Age Shin-Ra was standing under the huge new and old logo of Shin-Ra Electric Power Inc., looking out of the window. Tseng was next to him, a dark, professional expression on his face. In all those years, he didn't seem to have changed a bit.

Rufus turned the moment Verdot was close enough to be spoken to.

"Verdot, what a pleasure to see you again."

"Save you breath, Rufus. We both know you are only glad to see me because you _want_ something from me." He gave Tseng a short contact of eyes, just long enough as would have still be appropriated in the Shin-Ra he had known, received Tseng's welcoming nod with a pang of pride.

Rufus had caught the gesture of his head-Turk and that impetuous smirk crossed his lips. "I think we both know that I like you a little better than you like to pretend."

Verdot just studied him. "Excuse me, but if I remember correctly, you never cared for Turks." Or for anyone but yourself.

Rufus flicked his hair. "I am not the child you once used to know."

Verdot studied him. "Truly not. But you're still at least one inch shorter than your father used to be."

"My father was a great man, wasn't he? Perhaps you should be thankful that _I_ don't take after him in every respect." The scorn scorched the words. "Why don't we all sit down and discuss business? I'm sure we will have enough time to talk about good old times later."

Tseng stood next to Rufus with the blank expression of a Turk. Nothing much seemed to have changed.

"What do you want, Rufus?" Verdot asked, before the other could head for the seats.

Rufus stopped with his back to him. "Oh, I just want you back with the Turks." The answer was light and its shortness surprised Verdot who had expected a lecture on how much Rufus didn't want what he wanted but how much he, Verdot, wanted it and how Rufus was willing to help him with that. He was even more surprised that Rufus actually didn't make his return to the Turks the payment.

"I want Shin-Ra back. I could get it back if I started a war now, but I'm sure you'll agree that the last thing this world needs is yet more destruction and death."

That actually didn't sound much like the boy he had known.

"I want Shin-Ra back because I think Shin-Ra owes the planet something. Don't get me wrong I haven't miraculously changed and am selfless now. My father worked this planet almost to its death – I had my fair share in that – and I don't like to have my name mentioned in one breath with that spineless fool when history reports on the present events. _I_ want to be mentioned as one of those who helped the planet back up again."

Verdot almost laughed, caught Tseng's expression. Even after all this years it wasn't that difficult for him to interpret the expressionless face. As far as Tseng was concerned, Rufus _was_ indeed revealing true motives to some extend. But it seemed as if Tseng, too, was turning his eyes inwardly.

"If I want to repay the planet, I can't have half of my company pulling up on Mako again and purging the entire country, obviously. I'm sure you will agree that a war is no option and I think if an operation was to take place, you will agree that it at best and above all shouldn't cost any lives." Rufus' voice contained no undue emotion, was completely analytically.

"Heidegger has made a man head of their Turks whom you know. We have no way to contact him and he doesn't trust me. But he will trust you." Tseng suddenly spoke in the same calm way as his superior did, calmer, even.

Verdot had turned his head to Tseng, nodded slowly. He had quite an idea whom Tseng was talking about. "He might still at least hear me."

"We might be able to give you an appropriate distraction. Shin-Ra Edge holds several hostages whose rescue we are presently organising. It'll cause them to look a different way whilst you can get into contact with him" Rufus again, this time even calmer. Tseng soon took over most part of the plan they had been working on which was a relieve to Verdot; he wouldn't trust a plan Rufus had spun very far, but Tseng he trusted fully.

****

_Present:_

"Rufus?" Tseng turned to Rufus at the other side of the helicopter, felt once again inclined to shout over the noise the machine was making. They had as good as reached WRO's headquarter.

It took several moments before Rufus looked up from the files he was just studying. "What is it?"

"There is no motorcycle."

"Is that so?" He was already – or still – deeply absorbed in his work again and it took several moments before the news dug in and his head shot up. "Pardon?!"

"Our man couldn't find Cloud's motorcycle."

"He has got eyes, hasn't he?"

"It has been there but now, it is gone, it seems. Cloud has left, they…"

"What about _her_?"

****

Much to her surprise no one had stopped her. No one had followed, no one even posed any kind of a question to her. It was as if no one cared what she did. As if Rufus had – just let her go. Which hurt her. It made it a lot clearer to her that he hadn't cared about her at all and had just tried to stop her so she couldn't disturb his plans.

It had to be the middle of the afternoon, but Junon's foul weather made it look as if it was darkening already and she felt a lot like the weather. Several lights were burning inside the building she and Cloud had been living in over the last few weeks, but none in their flat. She was far too preoccupied to care or worry, deep in thoughts about the morning. There was no way she could have made Rufus care and in the end, he had only done everything she had wanted because that suited him. But that didn't stop her from revolving about every sentence she had said, he had replied and how close they had been. That she perhaps wouldn't see him again for years and that there really wasn't much in the future she looked forward to. The children, perhaps, if she was lucky.

How much she was loosing! How much she left back!

She let herself into the small place she and Cloud were sharing, happy to leave the unfriendly cold of the outside behind her, bitterly sorry that she hadn't – just agreed – to stay with Shin-Ra. Whatever the cost.

"Cloud? I… it is … me." For a second, she had been tempted to say 'I'. Rufus would have said that. '_It is I_', sounding as arrogant, silly and elegant as only he could. But in the same moment, her thoughts were drawn back to the room she was standing in, for she had received no answer at all. Not even a sound.

In fact, considering that she could hear the baby crying which lived across the hall, the shouting match of their next door neighbours and nervous pacing from above her, it was very, very quiet inside their flat.

She placed her shoes next to the door. "Cloud?"

No answer and she felt fear rising. Was he at the Shin-Ra building? Was he already searching it for her? In Rufus' office perhaps already?!

Rufus might have been right, Cloud was not a killing person, but when he thought they had kidnapped her, when all his fears, anger and guilt accumulated, she knew not what he was capable of.

With shaking fingers, she opened her mobile, listened fearfully to every beep at the other and of the line, while she searched two rooms of the flat, had already checked everything when two beeps had passed, felt her heart beating in her throat. Don't let him do anything to Shin-Ra! Don't let him do anything to Rufus! Yet another beep. Not Rufus!

A noise, a noise at last at the other end of the phone stopped her from running from the flat.

"Yes? Who is it?" Elena's voice didn't sound perturbed in any way. Only as if she had a cold.

"Is everything alright at your place?!"

"Hm… yes, I think so. Why are you asking?" She heard some beeping, the far away sound of a coffee machine. No alarm.

"Oh… I just thought…" She felt foolish, relieved at the same moment, so very relieved.

"Is something wrong?"

"No. It's nothing..." She couldn't have missed Cloud. If he had left before she had arrived at the building, he would have been at the Shin-Ra building already and she couldn't have missed him inside this building, would have certainly seen it if he had been in the garage and with the motorbike… which she wasn't sure she had actually seen.

"You're sure everything's alright?"

"Yes… yes, it's okay."

"Hm… okay… shall I tell _Shachou_ something?"

Tifa felt a hot jolt at only the mentioning of him, shock her head to the phone. "No. Don't.. Just wanted to say good-bye."

"Oh. Bye, then." Elena sounded puzzled.

"Bye…Thanks for your help."

Putting the telephone back into its cradle, she felt oppression rising inside her. Loneliness. She looked around in the small and shabby living-room, as if Cloud might miraculously appear there. As if she could just see a solution. But all her eyes caught was a small piece of paper on the table and in the same moment, her heart died in her throat. It was a carefully placed note, facing the door, and she had seen enough of them to know what it contained.

She stood there, for several moments, petrified and it seemed to take hours before she could reach out at last and unfold the paper to the boyish but small handwriting:

_Tifa,_

_I am going to get the children back. I will send them home with Barret. I will get Aeris back. Pleaze don't worry, everything will be fine._

_Cloud_

****

The mobile rang. It danced on the table, vibrated closer and closer to the rim. Tifa just stared at it. She knew not what to do. She had already phoned Cloud, but of course, he hadn't picked up. She had begged him to come back, to wait for her, but knew he wouldn't.

He wouldn't come back at all, he couldn't have written it much clearer. And she knew not what to do, knew not where to go.

She couldn't go back to Shin-Ra, so much for sure. Rufus would laugh right into her face or would be angry that his carefully shaped plans hadn't stopped Cloud but that Cloud had left long before Rufus had drugged her. She couldn't face him being left back after all the fight she had put up for Cloud. After promising to retain him.

It was dark outside and the only light came from the mobile when it started ringing again. She didn't recognized the number, but it wasn't Cloud's.

She wished so much it were Rufus', but Rufus would never in life phone her. Hell, he had most likely forgotten her the moment she'd left the room. Or been glad to get rid of her and still have Cloud stopped.

Still, after it had rung for the third time, she picked it up.

"Yeah?"

"Tifa?" It was Elena's voice at the other end.

"Yes?"

"Are you still here?"

Tifa forced herself to sound calm and collected when she answered. "Yes."

It stayed silent for several moments at the end of the line. The sounds of the surrounding indicated that Elena was phoning from an office. "We are sending a car to pick you up, okay?"

Tifa hesitated. But as there really wasn't much left she could do, she answered after several moments: "Yes."

"Okay. Bye!" Elena sounded as cheerful as usual.

"Bye", Tifa replied after several moments but the line was dead already, not knowing what to feel. Not sure whether it had been right to answer with a 'yes'.

But there was no other place to go, really.

Ten minutes later, she closed the door to the flat behind her, a small suitcase with all that was hers in her hand, and it felt as if, as the door shut, a chapter in her life had finally kicked her out. The chapter which she had spent with Cloud, where they had saved the world, where she had been happy.

Instead, she found herself standing in the lonely wet air in the dark on a pavement in front of a giant building, all alone in the dark. The wind blew coldly through her clothes and she knew not where to go.

Across the street, in the flickering flash of a streetlight, a car stopped, the typical white of Shin-Ra, Junon's, official cars.

So this was the chapter of her life where she crossed the street, opened the door to a Shin-Ra limousine and sat down inside, ready to be driven anywhere. She should have been relieved when she sat down on the one of the seats and the door closed out the wind and the cold. She should have been relieved when the car carried her away from the poor area. But the car just drove from the flash of light into darkness.

****

They had taken her case and brought it to her room and she could have left. Instead, she had just let them leave, staying back in that empty room, eyes through the window on the still lit Shin-Ra building, at this hour almost empty. She had wandered as aimlessly through her room as her thoughts, had strayed and in the end found herself staring at the building again, at its dark upper story.

She hadn't been surprised to find that note of Cloud. Only to see it written, blue on white, had left her almost empty inside. It made everything so very real, true and official. Cloud had left her for the last time.

And she stayed back alone.

And Rufus didn't care. As if that on earth should matter. He wasn't even in Junon.

The hands of the clock had long since passed ten o'clock and the building in front of her was dark.

Or was she alone?

Elena had heard from her voice that something had been wrong. If they had sent a car, there wasn't much of a way that Rufus couldn't have approved. So, perhaps, he cared a little bit. And the next morning, shortly before she herself would have headed for breakfast, Elena picked her up at her doorstep.

"I'm sorry I didn't come to pick you up yesterday evening", she started almost at once, dragging Tifa through the corridors, "you sounded _so_ worried! But… I really couldn't! Shachou had to leave for a meeting with Reeve – Reeve Tuesti, you know, head of WRO. So, Shachou took Tseng and Rude with him, but I was on duty and I really couldn't skip it…"

Tifa smiled. "That's quite alright. I am really thankful you sent a car!"

Elena blushed. "Well, of course. … I mean… you really sounded bad and Shachou dropped that he'd really like to have you working for us again and… well, somehow Reno came up with the idea that Cloud might have gone missing again and suggested to just have you picked up and he called Rude who talked to Shachou and… well, you are here." Elena was quite good at giving only pieces of the truth but still, if Tifa had paid close attention, she might have realized. Instead, her thoughts were wandering.

"So, Rufus and Tseng and Rude are away?"

"Oh. Yes. WRO wants to solve the problem with Shin-Ra Edge and New Age Shin-Ra. 's been a lot of trouble lately, not to mention the trouble that's going to unfold on Staffa the next few days… I do hope they managed to change the plan…. So… WRO wants to discuss things with us."

They had meanwhile seated themselves in front of their plates and Tifa was just – happy, somehow. To hear Elena talk felt good. To hear that they cared enough about her to send that car… to hear that Rufus cared enough to approve of the car. Even if it was just business for him. She didn't care _that_ much, she was sure.

"Uhm… what's happened?" Elena asked this question after several moments and tried, without much success, to hide curiosity and empathy. Tifa told her about Cloud's note, that it was now very clear he wouldn't come back. But it felt relieving to talk to somebody at last. To just get her own thoughts into order. Even if it wasn't Rufus she was talking to. – Not that she would have given a damn on his sympathy. Not that she had thought him capable of much. And no, she wasn't disappointed he wasn't there and surely didn't like to see him. But as Elena told her about the coffee she had persuaded Tseng to drink with her and the next two following visits to the same café (which hadn't needed as much persuasion), Tifa found it very hard not to think of the café she and Rufus had been sitting in, how Rufus _had_ indeed listened to her or that he had been sympathetic, somehow. The arrogant way he had played with the coaster… how gently he had caught her in the end.

And no, there was no way she wished she had stayed awake a moment longer, no way she wished she could talk to him instantly, see him smirk or hear any of his wry comments on her situation. Because there was no way on earth he'd feel anything close to what she feeling.

****

"Where's Tifa?" It was about a week later and Rufus looked around in the small drawing room he and his four Turks were inhabiting at the moment. He had barely been back two hours.

"She's back to work. Checking some plants outside of Junon, I think", Elena replied.

"Hm."

A significant look was exchanged between Reno and Rude which, luckily, Rufus missed or misinterpreted and thus chose to ignore.

"Reeve wasn't too happy about our small endeavour on Staffa", Rufus went on with a smirk, pushed his hair back, looked very satisfied indeed. "But", his smirk grew broader, "_Verdot_ was very successful in making contact."

Reno was hanging on a glass of something indistinguishable, smirked broadly. "Told ya he would, Shachou. Ain't nothing Verdot can't do."

"True", Rude agreed.

"He will handle the rest equally smoothly.", Tseng assured.

"And when's the big move going to be?" Elena's eyes were bright with excitement.

"Soon, I should think. As soon as Tifa's children are back here."

"Oi, Shachou, don't you think Scarlet and Heidegger will be kind of pissed if they find out what Verdot's doin'?"

Rufus smirked. "They'll have their attention elsewhere."

Tseng seemed the only one who knew what was going on. Although he didn't seem to be pleased with it. Not at all.

But Rufus seemed to enjoy how he had gathered the attention of the other Turks at once. "I let myself be persuaded by WRO – Reeve, to be exact – that they'll mediate between us and Shin-Ra Edge so our spheres of influence can be agreed on without much bloodshed. Reeve very much likes the idea that Shin-Ra stays split up. But I don't think I'll do him just _that_ favour."

Reno laughed. "Yo, really fools, aren't they?"

"They are no fools", Tseng replied. "I wouldn't underestimate Reeve. I'm sure he knows what you're up to."

Rufus snorted. "Sure he has a notion. He isn't stupid."

"And that's the problem." Tseng spoke again and as Rufus managed to gather everyone's attention, but Rufus' who snorted once again: "There is no problem."

"They tried to _kill_ you."

"Oi, mind telling what's going on, boss?" Reno flipped a ball of paper at Elena whose eyes were hanging on Tseng.

"Reno!" The ball of paper had hit its mark.

"Reeve suggested a meeting under the condition that _he_ will be responsible for security and that neither Rufus nor Shin-Ra Edge may bring any Turks or bodyguards for protection."

"He really thinks that _I_ would try to have those traitors assassinated."

"_No_!" Reno did manage to sounded shocked at even the suggestion.

"There _still_ is no problem. You are as good as second in charge anyway, Tseng. All it takes is to make that official and you may come along."

"Will Reeve buy that?", Elena looked very much as if she had doubts about the suggestion.

"Of course not. And that _is_ a problem. Besides, I'm not taking the title." Tseng's face was set.

"Yo! Shachou! Take Rude! He can dress up as a girl and…"

"Reno." Tseng's voice was strained. "Your mouth is talking."

"Verdot's operation might very well fail if I stay; they'll have their eyes too much on Edge." Rufus was ignoring Reno completely.

"The company isn't worth your life, Rufus!", Tseng insisted. He looked worried.

"I have no intention of _loosing_ my life, Tseng. Reeve has more than enough reasons to make sure nothing happens to me."

"But Scarlet and Heidegger don't. As your head of security, I strongly oppose your plan; it is suicide in every respect without Turks."

"Tifa could go." Elena's suggestion hit everyone like a hammer.

"Tifa?" Tseng sounded doubtful. "She has no experience in body-guarding whatsoever."

"Why not?"

"Yo, Elena! Great idea!" Reno gave her two thumbs up.

"Why not? Why are you thinking of her?"

Elena's cheeks were glowing with pride and enthusiasm and a bit of embarrassment, she was very thrilled that her thought wasn't just dismissed. "Tifa definitely knows how to fight! And… she's no Turk. So, Reeve won't mind. Most of all, if _she_ sits at the table, Reeve might more take to our side of things."

Rude nodded, somehow enthusiastically, too. "Right."

Reno laughed and it wasn't a very pleasant sound. "Great! Absolutely great! Reeve's _so_ gonna love that!"

"I don't think…."

"Boss." Reno locked his eye with Tseng's, let them flicker to Rufus and than gave Tseng a long and significant stare, so significantly Rufus actually frowned at Reno.

"That has nothing to do with the current situation. Tifa might have an official reason but she surely has no training as a _Turk_."

"_What_ has nothing to do with the current situation?" The frown on Rufus' face has deepened and he was clearly _not_ amused.

"Nothing, nothing." Reno was a bit too quick with assuring that. And not very good at looking innocent.

"Tseng?" The tone was rather sharp. Rufus was displeased.

"In case Verdot comes back, we discussed that it would be better if he doesn't meet Tifa."

"Is that so?" Though plausible, the explanation had been rather weak. Rufus' voice was a lot icier and he seemed to be piercing Tseng with his eyes. But Tseng held the stare and after a while, Rufus got up. "O_kay_. I'll expect you to give me a _full_ report in my office. I am not paying you to keep secrets from me. And _Tifa_ will accompany me!" He left the room rather briskly, clearly sulking as the door shut behind him.

* * *

_So… that's it for now. I hope I'll be able to put up the next chapters soon. I do think it'll only be another two or three before the story's over ^^ ... Oh, and of course, negotiations are going to be ugly ^^_

_I hope you enjoyed._

_Please review ^^_


	20. Costa del Sol

_Thank you for your patience so far! I do have internet here in China, but really as good as no time to use it. So, please forgive me for taking so awefully long._

_This chapter is a bit very much longer than usually, so I hope that this will perhaps make up for the long waiting._

_I hope you'll enjoy._

* * *

Chapter twenty: Costa del Sol

The suggestion had sounded gorgeous. Why not spend two or three day at Costa del Sol? Represent New Age Shin-Ra's energy department, talk about the needs of the department, spend the evenings or the early mornings in the warm of the sun. Get away from the rubbish you'd been through and when you get back, the children will be there to welcome you. Just relax a bit, enjoy the food, the sun and perhaps the company.

Oh, and do take care that Rufus doesn't get himself killed.

No problem. That man just loved to get himself into mortal danger as soon as you were looking the other way. According to Reno.

The look Tseng gave her when she ducked into the helicopter told her pretty precisely what he would do to her if one hair on Rufus' head got harmed.

But all his evil looks were as good as blown away the moment she turned her head to the interior of the helicopter. The ache in her stomach was turning into fire, her fingers felt moist and she felt her heart hammering when she lifted her eyes and in the same moment caught his. It was as if she had stepped into the eye of a hurricane.

He wasn't wearing his patch and those two differently coloured eyes studied her calmly. There was some hint of a smirk on his lips and she felt so very light. Walks on the beach… What had she been thinking about? He would never in life change his opinion about her.

"Hello."

"Hello." She seated herself on the seat opposite of him, tried not to look at him too much and thus nearly overlooked the headset he was offering her as the rotators of the helicopter accelerated into unbearable noise above them.

It stayed silent for several moments; Rufus waited for her to adjust the headset, didn't take his eyes off her and for a moment, she thought he was against all odds interested. Which was before the helicopter lifted off and he turned his face towards the window, studying the town that passed below them and the water with a lot more interest than he had watched her.

"I never thought you'd agree." He was still looking outside; she only saw the few strands of blond hair that were falling into his face and his voice, mingled with statics, made her jump.

"Nice walks on the beach, sun all day long… that almost makes up for babysitting you."

His eyes flickered into her direction, only for the doubt of a second. "We are not going to stay in Costa del Sol. At least not for very long."

"What?!" He seemed to enjoy the frown on her face and she hated how much she liked that look.

"I highly expect Reeve to move us to another place."

"How comes? Since when does WRO listen to your suggestions?"

He gave her a small smile, a very patronizing smile. "Now, Tifa, if I were they – those traitor, I mean – and knew where the conference was to take place, don't you think I'd organize a killer squad to finish the job?"

"If you _were_ them?"

He snorted, knew she was teasing. "I don't plan to kill them. Although I can't say I wouldn't _like_ to." He had already turned his head back to the window. The last sentence hadn't sounded as light as it should have had and for a moment, Tifa had to think of that body she had found in front of her door. His hand was lying on the armrest and for a second, she felt inclined to reach out and touch it. Tell him that she could understand how angry he had to feel. But instead, she just watched that angry frown on his face, the hand she would have liked to reach out for, the blond strands that shielded his eyes and she would have liked to push away.

"Reeve isn't stupid", Rufus continued. "He's not going to risk Costa del Sol. He's not going to risk that any party gets killed." His hand closed, he was still stubbornly staring through the window. "Nothing's going to happen. It's just going to be a silly meeting which is only held because Reeve thinks he can play peace-maker again." He sneered. "I do feel sorry for him. He's dreaming his world-rescue pipedream and when he wakes up, everything will have been stolen from right under his nose or someone with a little less scruple will have taken his power forcefully." He snorted disdainfully. "It's like picking the flesh from a body when the heart's still beating. Reeve's just too a nice man, for business, anyway. As soon as all this enthusiasm dies away, so will WRO. Pathetic, really."

"I worked for WRO, I didn't have the feeling they were just carried on a wave on enthusiasm. I think they are really moving something."

"Of course they are. But they're the present, not the _future_."

Tifa looked at him, tried to make that look taunting. "I think they do have potential to be the future. But who do _you_ think is the future? You?"

Rufus shrugged, didn't move his head. There was just a quizzing smile edging around his lips. "Who knows?"

Tifa watched him from the edge of her eye as she herself was staring outside onto the deep blue sea. If his company was the future that was at least better than if his father's company had been the future. Or Shin-Ra Edge. Although she would really prefer it if someone was around to keep them in check… if power was split into many hands not just one. But that, she was sure, WRO would manage. Was he looking her way? She never caught him turn his head.

"Well, I'm relieved that at least _today_ nothing can go wrong."

Rufus sneered. "As if _they_ dared to assassin me in front of WRO!" His voice was full of scorn. "They'll try to suck up. They'll be all politeness. 'Heir of Shin-Ra', 'Your Servant, Master Rufus', whatever."

Despite everything, Tifa felt strangely relieved by Rufus' lightness. And of course, Tseng would have never sent her if he had been sure that there would be fighting. "So no need to be afraid."

Rufus smirked. "_I_ at least am not afraid. Tseng said you wouldn't ever break a promise."

He was teasing her, she knew, but _that_ still sounded completely differently from what he'd uttered some seconds before and once again, Tifa was stunned at how egoistic Rufus tended to be. She was equally stunned how much he trusted her. But the usual sarcasm soon faded on his face. He was just staring outside and his hand was relaxing on the armrest.

And suddenly, Tifa realized that he wasn't really relaxed. That he had once again lied to her face. That somewhere, beyond the façade and all the layers he displayed, he was very much afraid.

And this time, she needed all her power to stop herself from reaching out for his hand.

****

The helicopter landed on the small helicopter port in front of the pier in Costa del Sol and it seemed that everyone had already been waiting for their arrival. Even in the bright sun, the flash lights from the cameras seemed like a thunderstorm that hit them as soon as Reno and Rude opened the doors to the helicopter. It grew worse when Rufus climbed from the helicopter and Tifa could barely make Reeve out between all the flashing lights although he was standing right in front of the helicopter.

"Welcome to Costa del Sol!", he shouted over the noise of the helicopter's engine and the crowd.

"Reeve. Good to see you. - I'm sure you are acquainted with Tifa Lockheart?" He smirked, their handshake band into pixels by hundreds of cameras. He knew well enough they knew each other. Tifa had told him quite a bit on the Deep-ground happenings on the rest of the way and Rufus himself seemed to be informed about what had happened during the evacuation of Midgar.

"Tifa? Yes, of course!" Reeve also seized her hand, smiling broadly, photoflashes burning the air around them. He added in a lower voice: "What are you doing here?"

"She is accompanying me. She's in charge of our energy-department", Rufus smirked again, Rude and Reno were scanning the crowd. But much to Tifa's surprise the smirk didn't yield any contempt or anything close to it but something close to pride. As if he was indeed glad to have her around and her heart to hammer even quicker. But maybe Rufus was just happy about her work. Or the effect she had on other people's opinion concerning New Age Shin-Ra.

"Mr President! Mr President!" Several journalists were shouting for attention. "Excuse me!" "Upon a word!" "Over here!" "President Shinra!" "Ms Lockheart! Is it true…?"

Tifa felt intimidated by the crowd, the people that were jostling around them, the bodies, the shouts. Rude and Reno and three of Reeve's bodyguards now elbowed their way through the crowd. Tifa felt as if they could crush them to death any second. One scream and panic would brake loose and then, even the five bodyguards would be no use anymore. The air was filled with the smell of heat, sea and too many humans in a too small place, shouting, she could barely make out a word, she felt an elbow brushed by, saw the highly concentrated expression on Reno's face and Rufus next to her was talking almost casually to Reeve. Rude brushed the microphones aside and Tifa heard Reeve explain that Scarlet and Heidegger had answered several questions when they had arrived earlier and then, suddenly, they were standing between even more bodyguards, facing the crowed, flashing lights again and again, cameras on them, bodyguards all around them.

Rufus turned to the crowd, studied them with barely contained scorn and flicked his hair. Tifa had no idea what kind of gesture he added or if at all, but suddenly, they were growing a lot quieter.

Rude seemed to take the responsibility of picking those who where allowed to asked questions and the first was a small man in a blue coat who asked, a bit intimidated, what Rufus expected from the meeting. Tifa saw a smirk twist around Rufus' lips, felt her own heart accelerating with the growth of the smirk. His posture was so arrogant that it seemed as if there wasn't enough room for her and Reeve on the small stage… or in town, actually. "I hope to smooth out our differences."

Tifa felt herself torn between disgust and admiration. Even normally, he could be – was – unbearably arrogant, at times, but this certainly topped everything. This, she realized with a jolt, was the Rufus she had used to know. And yet, viewed from the inside, she almost admired how quickly he could switch into the most arrogant, the most unbearable person she had ever known. The one who had sentenced her death and yet, when he spoke, his voice didn't stir up a shiver of disgust or hate. But all she wanted at the moment was to turn him back.

"President Shinra, Sir", another man piped up, "isn't that a bit _slack_, considering what they have done to you, personally."

Rufus gave an amused smile. "Slack? I have no intention to be _slack_. And _personally_, I consider _revengefulness _as a rather bad trait of character, don't you?"

A woman surely didn't like the way Rufus talked down to them: "Are you saying that you have forgiven your former employees that they tried to murder you and stole your company?"

This time, Tifa thought she saw a dangerous flicker behind Rufus' eye. "Let's just say I am not inclined to change your bread and butter from 'field interviewer' to 'war correspondent'." He was smirking as if he pitied the woman, cameras were flashing and much to Tifa's surprise the crowd seemed to like it. She, in their place, would have been enraged if he had talked to her in such a way, but it seemed to be exactly what _they_ expected.

Of course it was. _He_, after all, was the heir of Shin-Ra. The one with the company which had ruled the world. They'd be disappointed if he wasn't arrogant. Or showed any concern about his security. It seemed as if he hadn't even given it a thought that he could be in danger again and yet, Tifa remembered too well how his hand had unclenched in the helicopter. Saw it clenching, ever so slightly, again. Being so arrogant, he felt farer away, even more untouchable than ever before, although all she had to do was reach out to touch him. Yet, the clenched hand behind his back brought him nearer than she had ever been. And she had never before felt so tempted to lean over, to turn him around, look into his eyes, kiss him. As if she could save him that easily.

But if she tried, she was sure the newspaper would get their headline for the next few months… '_Shinra shoots Lockheart_'… '_Fatale kiss_'… something close to that. The weapon underneath his clothes was invisible, unless you knew where to look, a mere dent in his clothes, just above the hip.

"… you doing here? Are you indeed Mr. President's mistress?"

It took a second, before Tifa notice she was meant. It took another second before the question had dug in. And a third to realize that everyone was staring at her and she suddenly felt so very tiny next to Rufus and Reeve. And absolutely underdressed and unqualified. They seem to have guessed her thoughts. A moment before, she would have perfectly known what to answer, but finding herself in front of all those flashlights and people lecherous for upsets, her brain felt empty and she felt herself blush with anger and embarrassment. Frantically, she turned to Reeve, as if she could read the answer in his face, back to Rufus, who just stared at her coolly and would never on earth come to her help. But she knew not what to say, still opened her mouth, completely void inside.

"I'm…" What? What could she say? What had been the question again? "I'm… I'm head of New Age Shin-Ra's energy department", she pressed through her lips, knew that it was the coldest answer she had ever given. But to her, the sentence suddenly felt good. It filled her with pride, considering everything she had accomplish. Considering she really made sure that Shinra was going green. Considering Rufus.

Next to her, she caught him smirking, his cold piercing stare turning away from her to the crowd, a strange impression in it that was too soft to be contempt only, to hard to be anything else. He added something to her answer, but she didn't catch it.

"Tifa?" Reeve was touching her shoulder and she realized that she had been who knew where with her thoughts. "Are you coming?"

Around them, the crowd was diminishing and the bodyguards seemed to relax a bit.

She nodded and followed Reeve gingerly to the lighthouse in front of which a helicopter was waiting.

"I really don't like those people", she commented, forced herself not to look back for Rufus who hadn't followed.

Reeves smiled sympathetically. "They don't harm you and the public has a right to know what is going on."

"Sure… but – do you know what they wrote last time?"

"I saw the article, yes. I was very surprised to find you working for Shin-Ra."

"I'm sorry…" Reeve had wanted her and Cloud to work for WRO permanently but they had declined and facing Reeve now somehow felt as if she had betrayed him, too.

"How comes, anyway?"

She smile, thinking back felt good. "It's a complicate story. It's just… Someone has to make sure he keeps his promises." She had turned around, looked back for Rufus, saw him talking into his mobile, surrounded by Reno and Rude, the warm air tearing at his white clothes. There was a frown on his face, but against the deep blue sky and the dark blue sea, he just looked extremely handsome, the wind playing with the few loose strands of his hair.

Reeve had followed her gaze. "Rufus… As much as he wants to repay this planet, Tifa, you shouldn't work for him. Shin-Ra's time is over, but he hasn't realized that. He should have died that night when the Weapon destroyed the Shin-Ra tower. He doesn't know how to loose, but his company won't win. He'll take everyone down with him. He thinks he can make Shin-Ra future again. But Shin-Ra won't ever be the future again. It's the past."

Tifa couldn't take her eyes from Rufus, the way he stood there, so very self-assured and confident. So very young. There was just no way he would let Shin-Ra go down. And she felt strange to almost give the same answer twice. "And who's the future? WRO?"

Reeve shrugged, tried to turn her away. "Maybe. Don't… don't let yourself get wrapt up by him. He's just Shin-Ra's ghost walking."

Ghost walking? A puff of wind caught Rufus jacket, blew it open, uncovered the black west below it, the edge of the pistol, he shut the mobile phone, caught her looking and answered her gaze with a tiny smile, so short she wasn't even sure it had been there, but long enough to chock her breath. It was as if he suddenly stood next to her, whispered into her ear, flicked his hair now and she quickly turned away.

"I took the liberty to have Scarlet and Heidegger transported to our meeting place already", Reeve had turned around and pointed towards the helicopter they were heading for.

"I prefer not being in the same helicopter with them", Rufus answered. Tifa hadn't felt him approaching and almost jumped at how close his voice suddenly was and she jumped even more when he suddenly leaned over to her, continuing under his breath: "Unless I could push both of them out during the flight."

She felt a short brush of their clothes as he passed, just caught his smirk and her head was empty. Her smile must have been the most stupid she had ever worn and she felt still paralyzed inside as she climbed into the helicopter. Reeve had already taken a seat opposite of Rufus. As the other two seats seemed to be meant for two of the bodyguards, Reeve directed her to the place next to Rufus and she felt her heart accelerating as she sat down next to him.

"I thought you regard 'revengefulness' as a 'bad trait of character'?", she said in a low voice as she sat down, caught the faint sent of his aftershave as she leaned nearly closer than she dared, lingered a moment longer just to breath him, to catch his reply.

"Hm… what a _horrible_ slip of my tongue." The answer was equally muffled and so close to her ear.

"What's 'a horrible slip of your tongue'?" Reeve wore a frown and was nearly forcing the handset into her hand now.

They exchanged a look and Tifa felt herself smiling, her face burning.

"Nothing", Rufus replied, innocently.

"We were just joking." Which seemed to be the wrong answer, too, for Reeve's frown increased. And come to think of it, he had all right on earth to be puzzled.

Above them, the rotators gathered speed and Tifa felt Rufus tense next to her. She saw him turning his face to the window, saw the small flicker of anxiousness behind his eyes. If she were in his place and after all they had done to him, she would be very afraid to go without protection. His hand on the armrest seemed completely relaxed and suddenly she felt her own hand reaching out. He must have caught the motion as his head turned back to her and their eyes met. She hesitated. If she touched him now… no, she couldn't, not in front of Reeve and his bodyguards, not … she couldn't just touch him. A bit inelegantly, she finished the movement with brushing a strand of hair from her face.

Rufus just sneered, contemptuous perhaps, and turned his face back to the window.

****

It barely took one hour before the helicopter lost height and settled down in the courtyard of quite a big mason. The two bodyguards left the helicopter first and Tifa followed Rufus last from the helicopter. The air that welcomed them was dry and hot. She could smell the dust the helicopter had stirred up, the numbing smell of ozone mingled with blooming flowers. The sky above them was of a deep blue and outside of the cool shadow, the sun seemed to burn everything. It was almost unbearable after the cool inside of the helicopter. The building around them wasn't high, white from the outside, shadowed by plants and canopied paths.

"I didn't know you bought the building", Rufus was just uttering to Reeve.

"It makes a good conference building", Reeve answered. "And I always liked it."

"Certainly", Rufus agreed to whatever sentence of both, looking around him. He had only turned back from the window when Reeve had talked to him, but Tifa had still enjoyed to sit so close next to him – to feel his warmth, to feel him move.

"We left it mostly the way it used to be. It was badly destroyed when we bought it; some people must have vented their anger about Shin-Ra on the building."

"Hm…" Rufus took another look around him. "Now, which wing is mine?"

Reeve frowned. "The old master's one."

Rufus smirked. "Of course." He turned around, seemed to wait for Reeve to head on.

"Tifa? Are you coming?", it was Reeve who had turned for her, Rufus was only half looking.

She nodded, closed the distance between them, felt once again disappointed at how little Rufus seemed to care about her.

"We also found some photographs", Reeve continued as he led them down a corridor.

"Photographs?", Tifa echoed before Rufus could reply with more than just a displeased frown.

Reeve nodded. "There is also one of Rufus' parents. It must be one of the last…"

"Burn them." The cold and thoroughgoingness with which he uttered this made Tifa jump and she asked herself once again why on earth Rufus hated his father – or maybe even both his parents – so very much.

Reeve seemed to be a bit more used to that kind of behaviour, at least it didn't seem to surprise him.

They arrived at her residence first. It was quite a way off and at the beginning of a new wing of the building. The rather small door opened into an anteroom which was followed by a big room with a bed in its middle, several complicated pieces of furniture and two doors. One of the doors, as she soon discovered, led into a rather smallish bath, which, although completely in very stylish black and white, disappointed her a bit; same as the bed-room, they had overdone it.

She left her backpack on the bed and turned to the other door.

The second door on the right led through several much too luxurious rooms, most of which she didn't even know what they were used for, into a room bigger than the every other before. It seemed to be some kind of living-room and looking around herself, Tifa wondered why someone would choose to have so much space to live on. It was just – too much. It'd take forever to get from one end to the building to the other. The room was elegantly furnished and the windows opened to a garden. Nearly invisibly curtains were covering the openings, moving ever so slightly in the warm wind that came in and cooled off the interior. The garden was blooming, the plants and flowers looked as if they wouldn't have chosen a better place to grow and in the middle of the court was deep blue pool designed as a lagoon.

Tifa did not know how long she had stared at the scene, had tried to access the luxury, the abundance, the too much of everything, really. So this was one of the places Rufus must have grown up at. And she just felt so very misplaced in her half fighting gear, her average manners and her average appearance, but most of all with the opinion that this all was disgusting in its entire decadence. It made it very clear to her that Rufus would never on earth pay anyone like her any attention at all. Never. There were worlds between them. The breeze that was coming in through the curtains, playing with them, pulled ever so slightly at her hairs and disappeared into the depths of the building.

"Now, does this make up for Costa del Sol's beaches for you?"

She hadn't heard him enter but his voice seemed so close and warm that it almost made her jump or blush if it hadn't been for the slight scorn in his voice. Expecting to find him standing right behind her, she turned around, just to see him standing in the frame of yet another door.

"Pardon?"

He smirked. "Admit it. In Costa del Sol you stared at the beach as if you'd give your life to walk it."

She gave him a puzzle look, didn't remember to have stared at any beach at all. "When did I stare at a beach?"

He gave a laugh. "Why, when I was on the phone, of course. I'm not completely blind, you know?"

She was about to answer back that she hadn't when she realized that it wouldn't be too smart. For he would inevitably ask himself what she'd been staring at instead. Which would lead him equally inevitably to himself.

"Oh." She was happy that the blush she felt rising could be interpreted differently. "But I don't think this place makes up for it."

"Surely not." He looked bemused, a disgusted look creeping over his face as he looked around him. "I don't know why being overly rich always needs to be connected with being overly tasteless."

Tifa laughed. "Of course _you_ are the exception from that rule."

"Of course." He flicked his hair. "Really, I don't know why Reeve restored this place, it's always been horribly bland." The arrogance with which he pronounced that made Tifa laugh and she asked herself if he knew how snotty he was. She supposed he did.

"What are you doing in my rooms, actually?", she continued.

He gave a laugh. "Your rooms? Quite possessive, aren't you?"

Tifa turned her eyes inwardly. "What are you doing in the rooms _I am supposed to live in_ _during the conference_?"

"Oh. You're just greedy, then." He smirked, pointed over his shoulder into the room he had come from. "The rooms are connected. I presume Reeve thought I'd bring Tseng."

"But Tseng wouldn't have slept at the other end of the suite."

"Not really…" He took a look onto his watch, his tone changed when he continued: "– I'm sure you will be thrilled to meet those two traitors again?"

"Absolutely." She set into motion, followed him through another door into yet another ante-room which seemed to be connected with her side of the wing – and Rufus' on the other side. "Last time I met them I had hoped very much we'd killed them in their silly robot."

Rufus gave a laugh. "I'm sure you would have done us all a great favour." He seemed to know where they were heading for several minutes later, they found themselves in a large room which hold a huge table prepared for a meal.

Reeve was already present, talking to Heidegger and Scarlet. Heidegger, dressed into his habitual green, seemed to have gathered even more weight and sadly hadn't lost any hair. Scarlet, on the other hand, had aged since the last time Tifa had seen her. She was wearing one of her scarlet and very inappropriate dresses and seeing her, Tifa felt her throat close. Rufus might have ordered her execution, but he had done it without caring the slightest for it. Scarlet, on the other hand, had very much enjoyed telling her every detail of the execution. She had been thrilled to lock her into that gas chamber. She _had_ looked forward to it.

Rufus showed no sign of uneasiness, his face was just a polite mask over barely hidden contempt. He had told her that Scarlet and Heidegger weren't really running the company together; they had split it up and were as good as sovereigns of each part.

And now, as they were moving closer, the three on the table were turning their eyes to them. Tifa saw Scarlet's arrogant contempt, Heidegger's piggish eyes fixing themselves on her and the anxiety in Reeve's expression.

"Good evening." Rufus' face was unmoved, there wasn't even the hint of an emotion. He felt cold.

Scarlet and Heidegger gave no answer, just studied them hostilely. First Rufus, then her, disdainfully. Scarlet's gaze was full of scorn and Tifa met it with an equal amount. She had never before realized that she loathed that woman, more than she had ever loathed Rufus. Scarlet had really wanted to kill her, had wanted to watch her die. She had hit her. She had tried to kill her out of pure malignity. And, what was perhaps worse, she had tried to murder Rufus. And she had surely enjoyed it. Angry still, Tifa had at first difficulties to place the look from Heidegger's piggish eyes. On the first impression, it was disdainful. But than it dawned to her that the disdain barely masked greed and lust which disgusted her so much that she nearly missed Reeve's entire introduction.

Reeve placed both of them at the table and took a seat himself which seemed to be a sign to serve the food.

It was good food and Reeve tried hard to establish some kind of conversation, but everything that resulted was even deeper loathing. Tifa couldn't bring herself to ask the other side any questions and the questions she was asked were all condescending, about her background and mocking New Age Shin-Ra's energy policy. Rufus next to her answered rather shortly, politely, but his words were dripping with hidden scorn, words too carefully chosen to be pulled by.

In the end, everything they shared was that everyone was happy to leave the table. Reeve seemed very tired when he whished everyone a good night and a good rest. He seemed relieved when they left whereas Rufus' face broke into an angry frown as soon as they had left Reeve's bodyguards outside and had entered the living room again.

"Now, that was quite a disgusting sight, wasn't it?" He furiously dropped the strands of wooden pearls that were covering the doorframe and they clickered noisily behind them.

Tifa gave a more hearty nod than she had wished to give. Heidegger's lusting looks had been most obtrusive and even if she wasn't about to admit it, Scarlet's words had been hurtful.

"It's pathetic, really. They would have been nothing – nothing! without Shin-Ra!", Rufus added this after several moments with a sneer, brushed his hair in an angry movement aside. "She – she would have starved poor – poorer even than you have ever been – if it hadn't been for the company. Would have worked at Honey Bee Inn if that isn't where that idiot of my father picked her up! Not to mention that fat fool!"

Tifa almost grinned. She had never seen Rufus angry, but she supposed that was as close as he got without becoming truly dangerous and she liked that rather stubborn expression on his face, a stormy frown.

"You can't expect them to be thankful, really."

"I'm not talking about '_gratitude_'!", Rufus snapped back. "It's stupid to expect something the like from people. I'm talking about _background_! – _I_ was born the heir of Shin-Ra! But _they_ – they were born _nothing_!" He didn't seem to see Tifa's rather bemused expression but sneered. "And yet, they look down on someone who's come much the same way. It's – _disgusting_, really!"

"Yeah, right…" Tifa's scornful comment died in her throat as she realized that he wasn't complaining about the lack of respect they were paying _him_, but _her_. Her heart skipped a beat as she stared at Rufus who slowly seemed to realized that he had said something strange.

"Haven't you noticed? They don't have a single new employee. It's all the old people again. They are ruining my company."

Tifa laughed, felt her heart sinking again. Just why did Rufus always had her hope to let her drop down again in the very next second? Just like when they had been riding on the helicopter. He had really talked to her as if he enjoyed talking to her – she had enjoyed the conversation – and in the next moment, he had turned, looking out of the window, bored, as it seemed. "_Your_ company?", she echoed.

"It _is_ my company, whatever they say. And I will have it back."

Tifa laughed again, this time at the tone he had replied in. She doubt he knew he was sulking, even more that it showed so clearly. "You know, if you'd sulk more often in public, people would perhaps not fear you as much."

The sulk on his face increased for a moment before it smoothed away again. "I am certainly not sulking. It just makes me sick what they are doing to my company."

Tifa refrained this time from pointing out to him that, technically, it wasn't his company anymore for he was too right about what he said. It was one thing to pull up on oil, but quite another to act as if and mostly use mako again. And both Scarlet and Heidegger made her even sicker when she thought about how they had prattled that Rufus needed to take care what the newspapers wrote about them and that _they_ had none of the newspapers under their control and they still wrote what please Shin-Ra Edge. For otherwise, and Tifa had been even more disgusted with the delight in Scarlet's voice, they'd just disappear.

"I really hope Tseng phones soon", she just sighed.

Rufus gave an absent nod. "Hm."

Silence for several moments, Tifa felt worn and tired from the supper. Warm wind was playing with the curtains, the light outside was fading, she could faintly hear the crickets chirring and the regular steps of the bodyguards. The air smelt good, of summer, fresh, the light breeze was ever so slightly pulling at Rufus' hair when he touched the switch for the light. He looked so very good in the twilight.

"I'm sorry it was that unpleasant." He turned back to her, his eye was glittering.

Tifa just looked at him, shrugged a bit. "Didn't expect much better."

"Hm."

Silence. She watched him, he watched her. After yet another moment, he reached out for his patch and the cloth fell onto his shoulder before he took it up, smoothed the hair back and she felt the red eye focussing on her, had to avoid his eyes, felt her heart burning. Would have liked to pick the patch up instead of him, taken it off instead of him.

"Uhm…" she had to say something to stop herself from moving closer. Or to continue staring at him. "I… I am going to fresh up, I think."

"Okay." He sounded strange.

Silence.

"Are you coming back?"

"Sure… hm… what about you?" She would have really like to spent the evening talking to him.

"I think I'm going to get a book and read here."

"Hm… I'll be back."

He gave a small smile and she felt warmth rising. "Good."

She didn't know why she loved that answer so much. Perhaps because of the warmth in it, or the gaze he had sent her.

It was half dark already when she arrived at the bathroom, her heart hammering. She looked so much forward to return. To talk to him. To be with him.

****

"What exactly are we doing here, Tseng?" Reno was sipping at a drink, ice cold but not cold enough to cool a Turk down, confined to his uniform under the blazing sun in a small desert town. Although it was nearly dusk now.

"Waiting." Tseng was sitting stoically on a chair, had just finished another phone call.

Rude was standing at the window, staring outside into the sinking sun. It would get cold soon. They were only a quarter of an hour's helicopter ride away from Reeve's meeting place.

"I am not going to risk that something will happen to him", Tseng continued. "Scarlet and Heidegger arrived early; they never had the habit of arriving early."

Reno gave a sigh and dropped himself onto one of the couches. "The only thing that _hopefully_ is going to happen to him is Tifa."

"Do you really think it will work? Oh! It would be sooo _nice_!"

"Oi! You're really romantic, didn't think you had that in you, Elena!"

Tseng gave an annoyed sigh. "Rufus' private life is none of our business."

"Oh, Tseng, come one! You've got to have an opinion, too!! – Even Rude's on our side! – You are, aren't you, Aibo?"

"I am." Rude gave a stoical nod.

"It's not my business and it's definitely not yours. It's unprofessional."

"Oh, come on, Tseng, Sir! Rufus 's been talking about her up and down! He…"

"I don't think she really cares about him."

"Of course she does!" Elena clasped her hand in front of her mouth, astonished by her own outburst and Reno rolled his eyes: "Well, _I'm_ glad we got them together and _alone_ to that place."

"If she does, why hasn't she long thanked us?", Tseng replied.

"She doesn't know, I'm sure! – She… I mean, she's really… she's crazy about him!" Elena's protest was a lot weaker now that Tseng was looking straight at her. But Tseng wasn't listening as his mobile had started ringing and he had gotten up to answer it. After only moments, he left the room.

"Could be Verdot." Elena brushed her hair from her face.

"Too early." Rude.

"Could be Rufus, asking for new information on Verdot. But", Reno grinned, "if it's Verdot, we are going to stop Tseng from phoning Rufus."

"Oh? Are we?" Elena looked rather puzzled.

"Of course", Rude agreed.

"Yepp." Reno gave an enthusiastic nod and pulled a leering grin. "It's getting dark."

Before Elena could protest, the door opened and Tseng appeared, his expression so serious that every joke froze in the midair.

"We are leaving."

"What?!" Reno and the others were on their feet in the same moment.

"Somebody's ordered Reeve's bodyguards to withdraw. And an unauthorised truck has just arrived there."

* * *

_Okay… that's it for today. I hope__ circumstances will admit it that I can post the last chapter before the end of this year, but I'm also pretty busy at the moment and I don't find much time to write. I hope you enjoyed nonetheless._

_I'd like to know what you think about the situation (especially with the Turks motioning to get involved now^^), so: Please review!!!_


	21. Knockin' on heaven's door

_I thank you most cordially for all your patience to bear with me so far. I'm sorry it took for almost ever to get this last chapter finished (and posted), but it seems I just can't write unless I'm under a lot of stress. _

_So, this is the last chapter at least and I do hope you will enjoy it and please forgive me for making you wait so long!

* * *

_

Chapter twenty-one: Knockin' on Heaven's Door

The book was quite a good one and even though his thoughts had revolved around the small revolution in Edge and most of all with the anticipation of Tifa's return, Rufus soon found himself absorbed between the lines, managed to reduce the thoughts about Tifa to just a stirring hum in his stomach. The book was well written and gripping, so he couldn't tell how long he had tried not to think of Tifa until he looked up again. It couldn't have been long for the lights in the garden hadn't been lit, yet and he found himself in almost the only island of light in the room. A look on his watch told him that it was a bit earlier, even, than he had expected. He close the book for a moment, looked around him.

At first, it didn't come to him why he had looked up at all. Tifa hadn't entered. The curtain was swinging in the mild wind, nobody moved nearby, everything seemed alright and yet he felt his senses scanning the surrounding. Deciding that he was just nervous about the operations in Edge (or Tifa), he took out his mobile to phone Tseng.

The light caught in a window panel across the room as he flipped the phone open and pressed it to his ear. The curtains were still moving in the airflow, he still heard the sound of water from far off. The light of the lamp was steady.

He heard no dialling tone and when he looked at his phone, it had no reception. But he had already placed a call to Tseng from here.

He heard his watch ticking.

He did not hear the regular steps of the bodyguards' boots. Nor the chirring of the crickets.

Carefully, he placed the book on the table, listened into the darkness around him.

This wasn't right.

His slipped into his jacket, reaching out for the gun. With the other hand, he felt for the ammunition in a pocket. And listened into the darkness.

Where was Tifa? Why was he worrying about her? She should take care of _him_. That was why she had come along, after all.

Reeve had only allowed him to carry a weapon as long as it wasn't loaded.

And now, the building around him was deadly silent.

He rose to his feet, listened again, only heard the rustling of his own clothes, his breath as he pressed to the wall, the muffled metallic sound as slipped the ammunition into the weapon.

It was as good as dark around him now. He had slipped away from his seat, into the darkness, was now in the deepest shadows next to the door. For what good that was, in white clothes.

When he charged the gun, the sound was so loud that it echoed from the walls, through the entire house as it seemed. Everything dead silent around him. Pressing the cold steal to his breast, he held his breath, listened into the darkness.

No sound. No reaction. Eerie silence. But he knew that not everyone made noises who moved.

His hands were moist when they slipped into the fingerless gloves.

The water had stopped.

Where was Tifa? Why wasn't she there already? She was surely taking too long. Or was she? She hadn't been gone that long, according to his watch. It only felt too long.

He heard nothing, saw nothing. No one was breathing inside this room. Or was his heart just beating too loud?

The curtain moved dully in the wind.

No one here.

Carefully, he trusted his body against the wall, moved towards the door frame. He stood there several moments, listening into the darkness, kept his breath low. There was darkness creeping from the corridor, down his neck. Carefully, he drew a breath, silently, and cast a look around the corner, handgun ready to fire. He was back in cover in the next moment. The corridor was as void of life as it sounded. Light was sipping into it from the other end. And still, there was no sound to be heard.

He carefully brushed the wooden strands of the curtain aside and pushed himself through, as close to the wall as possible. Behind him, the pearls of wood hit against each other, rattling ever so slightly. But thundering through the darkness, a signal rocket for everyone lingering in the shadows.

Again, he listened into the deep silence and again, there was nothing. When he sneaked further forward, all sense were scanning the surrounding. He ventured closer to the small anteroom and suddenly, there was a noise.

At first, it was just a small noise in the distance, as if wind was blowing through a tree. But the closer he got, the more it turned into electrostatic noise.

When he had reached the anteroom, still pressed to the wall, he was sure it was noise. And he was as good as sure that he heard voices. Not Tifa, though, and that made it worse.

The anteroom was half lit by the light that was coming from the corridor behind it; the door was open. It should have been closed. Still, there was nothing in the air but that noise. Tifa wasn't even overdue, yet. No sound of a living soul but the static noise and as he moved closer, he was sure the noise came from a PHS. A working PHS. And it was coming from the corridor.

He was now at the door, could almost distinguish the voice from the noise. There was not a sound of another human being. Or of any other life form.

The air from the corridor smelt strange. Sweet. Warm. But he didn't dare to venture much closer into the light. Stood silently for a moment, tried to distinguish a words from the noise. Couldn't. Then, a small reflex caught his eyes. A small reflex that was creeping very slowly along the gap between the tiles. It was a fluid, dark. And suddenly, the sweet smell wasn't so very strange anymore and his stomach was tightening, his breath chocking for a short moment.

Tifa.

But of course, that couldn't be. She didn't have a PHS, she wouldn't have taken that way. He was sure. If she had realized there was any threat, she wouldn't have come through a brightly lit corridor. It just couldn't be!

The blood had almost come to a halt now and he forced himself to think. It just couldn't be Tifa. He had to concentrate. He had to leave, immediately, he was far too visible where he was standing. But where to? To Tifa? Or should he better try to reach the helicopter port? He knew how to fly a helicopter. Reno had let him once or twice. He felt the fear growing inside him, slowly, painfully. Pathetic. Tifa.

He knew how to point a gun but he wasn't a fully trained Turk. He was out of what little training he had. He was dressed all white and the night was pitch black. And last time, his abilities had been no use to him at all. He would have died if it hadn't been for Tifa. He felt the fear clenching around him, remembered too well what had happened, what they had done, that this, too, was most likely Scarlet's and Heidegger's doing. Knew he had to move away from the light. There had to be a solution! They couldn't just kill him! – They couldn't just kill Tifa! His hand clenched around the handle of the gun as he dragged himself away from the light. He had to stay rational, not to think about what could happen but what was best to do. He listened into the house for any sound, for anyone who was approaching. He couldn't go to the helicopter port. Not without Tifa. He wasn't sure he would make it. And even if… it was Tifa's job to protect him! And he had to make sure she was still alive. There was just no way he'd leave her back. Even if… even if deserting her was perhaps saver. Damn it. Damn her! Damn him for feeling too much!

He drew into the dark. He didn't dare to move out into the corridor to pick up the PHS. If someone was there, they would shoot him immediately. Or worse. He was too visible, anyway.

He tried to move as noiselessly as possible, tried not to think about the dead person and that if he was dead, someone had to be inside the suite already. Tried not to think about Tifa and that she could be dead, too. Or that they would kill him.

Damn it, he had wanted to face her! Talk to her! Ask her ...

Rufus set into motion, knowing that what he was doing was everything Tseng would disapprove of. Knowing that he had to hurry if he wanted to reach Tifa alive. He tried to fight down his own fright. His Turks would come, eventually. They would come and save him! Everything around him was still deadly silent and when he moved forward it was only as fast as he trusted his steps to be soundless. He crouched forward, fright clinging to his neck, stopped in front of the door to Tifa's study. Listened. Nothing. Not even the crackling of the PHS from the floor anymore. Not a noise from Tifa's direction. Not a noise from behind him, not a noise from the room. His heart was hammering.

Perhaps they hadn't been here, yet. Perhaps they were still searching his quarters. But why was she so late, then? He had to hurry. But the room in front of him was dark, he had no memory of the furniture in it. He stayed several moments pressed against the wall next to the door, listened into the darkness, felt his heart beating, until he was sure he heard no one breath, until his eyes had adjusted enough to the dark.

The only choice he had was to feel his way forward, through the darkness, as silently as possible, only guided by what little light fell in from the anteroom.

Then, suddenly, the light behind him seemed to fade for just the doubt of a second. He had barely reached the middle of the room, just avoided a chair and now he remembered how Scarlet's Turks had come at him, was suddenly sick with fright. His grip tightened around the handle of his gun as if it hadn't been tight enough already. His heart was hammering, felt his breath growing shallower, his ears listening into the darkness. He didn't move, barely breathed. And in the same moment, he heard the noise of steps on stone. Steps of high heeled shoes. Steps coming towards him, quickly.

Scarlet.

He reacted immediately, spun around, pulling his gun up within the movement, just in time to see the muzzle-flash of the pistol that was pointed towards him. His own shot missed Scarlet's head by millimetres and in the same moment, his entire brain was filled with the pain when the spun turned into a fall and he slammed into a small table.

****

The evening was beautiful. It could have been raining, thundering, the world could have ended, the evening would have still been beautiful. Rufus had made it a point that he wanted her to return for conversation. He had been truly angry about the way how Scarlet and Heidegger had been talking about slum dwellers… evidently also the way Heidegger had been looking at her.

She studied herself in the mirror, thought of Rufus, the way he had half looked at her when staring out of the window of the helicopter. She'd ask him. This was her only chance. Tomorrow, the news of Verdot would most likely come. Tomorrow, they'd leave again and she would only see him around the building. She just had to ask him. Even if he was going to laugh at her, she just couldn't take it anymore.

She washed her hands quickly, heart thundering, splashed water into her face and tried to calm down. But when she started brushing her hair, she suddenly hesitated. There were some movements going on outside the window. She half listened as she brushed her hair, a bit estranged. The regular steps were disappearing. They weren't continuing around the house, it sounded just as if they were altogether leaving. At first, she thought it could be a change of the guards, but even after several moments, no steps were returning. A bit worried now, she put her brush aside. Reeve couldn't – and wouldn't – just pull off the guards in the middle of the night.

Or perhaps he hadn't and the realization ran in a cold shiver down her spin.

Rufus.

Gaia help her that she would still be in time! She spun around her own axis, reached out for the door and hesitated. She couldn't just run into who-knew what kind of scene, unprotected. It wouldn't help Rufus if she got killed.

Now, outside, it was completely silent. The lights which had started to glow where dimming away.

She wasn't even armed. She had left her weapon on her bed. She looked around her. A bathroom, what kind of weapon could be expected?

Not one.

There was a noise oozing through the door. On the other side, someone had opened a door. And now, there were muffled steps.

Her heart was accelerating. Rufus, perhaps was it Rufus! Perhaps Rufus had realized that something was wrong and come to look for her. The thought, despite her anxiousness, made her jolt with ecstasy and anticipation, her heart accelerating.

But Rufus treaded softer, inaudible, most times, and he wouldn't have come to her bedroom with… without knocking if he treaded that unthinkingly … Gaia, she couldn't truly think about him being there!

Her fingers closed around a glass next to the tab and as her other hand turned around the handle. The steps were too heavy. She had to be quick, quick to overpower whoever was there.

Her hand pressed the handle and in the same moment, she opened the door, quickly, and froze. Froze with disgust.

"Tell her there's no need to hurry with the damn bastard", the mightily overweighed form of a green dressed man with too much beard and a sweating complexion grumbled into a PHS and Tifa felt her herself freezing inside. Rufus!

The man's eyes darted to her as he dropped the PHS on the nightstand and Tifa felt her stomach tightening as a licentious grin twisted the ugly face. "Oh, Tifa!", he addressed her and turned towards her, lifting a stunning pistol into her direction. "Come, girly, don't resist and I promise…"

"Where's Rufus?!" Disgust, shock and pure fear were filling her head. Fear, not for her, but for Rufus. What were they doing to him?! The stunning pistol was pointed directly at her as Heidegger came closer.

Heidegger's expression darkened. "Scarlet will kill him the way he deserves it, that treacherous leech! But you and I… if you are good I'll…", he started, but Tifa didn't let him finish the sentence, tightening her grip around the glass, ripped it up and threw it into Heidegger's wide-eyed surprise.

The noise the body made when it slammed into the floor was echoing through the room and she had the feeling the floor indeed vibrating under her feet. She darted forward, picked up the stunning pistol Heidegger had dropped and in the same moment froze as she caught the voice that was crackling through Heidegger's PHS. Wild barks to swarm out, to secure the building, to defend the retreat route, to hold strong against the intruders.

Caught aback, she turned just in time to see Heidegger moving again. She grabbed the stunning pistol tighter, reached Heidegger in the same moment, saw his eyes flickering to her, he lifted his arm in defence, his mouth opened to cry for help. She didn't even give it a try to ask again about Rufus' whereabouts or give him any other chance to yell for help. She just powered the pistol up and slammed it into his chest. The impulse jerked through the body and she didn't care if it might have been too much or caused a heart attack. She just grabbed the pistol tighter and headed for the door, her heart hammering. There was not a minute to loose. Knowing Scarlet, she would take her time to kill, but when she realized that Reeve had found out about their raid and was sending backup… Tifa didn't even want to think that sentence to its end, grabbed the stunning-stick tighter and headed for the door.

She wouldn't be able to bare it if Rufus was dead.

****

Pain. Hot, flaring pain.

"Is he dead?" A PHS was crackling.

Steps were coming closer.

The floor was cold against his face, the pain was flaring in his shoulder. Hot ache was soaking through his body. Rufus found himself down on the ground, between splinters of glass, the table he had slammed into.

The steps stopped, closed to his head. He tasted blood, felt himself shortly blacking out.

A bullet case clickered to the ground, next to his face. His own weapon had skidded from his hand, was glittering about half a metre from him in the faint light. The shadow of the other's gun was moving over the ground towards him. He couldn't just die here, not like this.

"Let's make sure, shall we?" It was Scarlet's voice above his head. The glass paused glittering when the shadow passed and in the same moment, he winced as the icy metal of a muzzle dug into the back of his neck.

"Hello, beautiful! Still alive, are we?" The barrel wandered over his skin and came to a rest under his cheekbone. She had nearly whispered it and out of the edge of his eye, Rufus saw her simpering. He felt the glass cutting into his fingers when they closed around it. She charged the weapon.

"Well, not for long, anymore!" Her laugher resounded from the walls and with all the power he could command, he rammed the piece of glass into her calve and twisted around his axis. The flash from the muzzle burned his face as she collapsed, the bullet's impact threw stone debris into his face, her scream brayed through the room. His hand found the handle of his gun.

With a groan she sat up and the barrel came to rest under her chin, shaking with the effort. He felt blood running down his fingers, through the glove, he saw the hate in her eyes, the life, felt her breath, his shoulder hurt terribly, he felt his hand shaking with the effort.

The hammer clicked, the muzzle flashed, the recoil knocked the gun from his hand, when his finger overcame the resistance of the trigger.

He got up, slowly, his hand hurt, his shoulder was burning, didn't look back. He felt sick, sick with the smell, sick with himself. Sick with the thought of what they could have done to Tifa.

Tifa.

He gripped for his pistol again, his hand tightened around the handle. If they had killed her – if they had done anything to her – he would kill them. Every single one of them. And then, he would kill their families. He would kill everyone they had known. He didn't turn around, headed for the door, onwards, stood for a moment, listening into the next room. But outside of the house, shouts filled the air, some inside, hard to tell whether in the next room or not. He heard Scarlet's PHS crackling with voices in his back, orders to withdraw, knew the sound well; it was panic. His Turks were coming. And he didn't give a damn. Tifa was more important.

The next room was lighter, lit by an opened door. He was careful to move in, careful to move forward. His shoulder was hammering, but at least, there was nothing broken. For what could still brake in a shoulder where all the bones were artificial? He twisted the shoulder back and in the same moment, froze. There had been a movement in the doorframe. His eyes flew around for cover and saw none. He lifted his gun, pointed it to the door and in the same moment, another frame appeared there, thin, slim, pointing a gun towards him.

He would have known this frame under a thousands, in a crowd, in the dark, in the blazing sun, under the set of stars, or in a barely lit doorframe in the middle of a war zone. He had studied her more often than he even remembered and his heart skipped a beat, nearly stopping altogether with relief and he could only just stop himself from running towards her.

When he finally spoke her name, it nearly choked in his throat. "Tifa…"

Her weapon dropped in the same moment. "Rufus… You…" Her voice was so close to breaking that she was afraid it would give everything away. Her concern, her relieve – her love. He looked so – perfect, in the half light, although the usual order of his hair was disturbed. That strained look on his face seemed to have evaporated the moment he had set eyes on her. As if… as if she was everything he had come for.

"Are… are you alright?", was all he said, though, coolly but with all the cold in it missing. She hadn't realized moving towards him, hadn't realized that he, too, had come closer. But then, suddenly, she was only standing a metre from him, couldn't take her eyes from his, this perfect blue, the icy cold and this little sparkle in it which seemed to flare through the red eye. They were directed onto her, his lips were slightly parted and she felt her heart only hammering, wanted step closer, wanted to embrace him and never let go of him again, but couldn't bring herself to move closer. She knew she had to say something, couldn't just continue staring at him, couldn't bring herself to break eyes contact.

At last, she got herself to give an awkward nod. "Are you?"

"I think so." His face was somewhere torn between its usual uncaring and some sort of smile. His eyes were fixed on her, still, colder than ice when they scanned the surrounding but so very warm on her. "Good… good to see you alive."

Was she mistaken or was his voice really so tender?

"Good to see you alive, too." She couldn't take her eyes from his, couldn't bring herself to move away, knew that it couldn't be anything but a mistake to move closer. But still she did and even before she think, he was slowly lifting his arm. As if time had stopped, she could feel his eyes on her face, the softness in them as they trailed over her eyes. Everything she could breath was his smell, that warm, soft note of faded aftershave that was clinging only lightly to the air.

His hand was slowly rising towards her face.

His fingers were warm when she touched them. Warm and a bit moist with the blood. Smooth. There was a small trickle on the back of his hand where his glove left room to see the pale skin and the even paler blotch geostigma had left. His skin was so soft and warm when she wiped the blood from the back of his hand with her thumb and suddenly, she was holding it. She felt his fingers close around hers, the warmth of his skin when she closed hers. She had never noticed how slim his fingers were, how perfect. Just like his face. The dark eyelashes, in spite of the pale skin. She met his eyes then, so close now, so full of warmth, leaned towards him and in the same moment felt his lips on hers, shy at first but replying ardently when she kissed.

"I think", and his voice wasn't more than a whisper and she could nearly feel the movement of his lips on hers. "I think I love you."

Instead of an answered, she closed her lips on his again, let her arms around his body, drew him closer and felt his close around her body.

"I _know_ I love you, you fool."

* * *

_I hope you enjoyed. I'm not quite so happy with how the ending turned out, but if I continued working on it, it would have taken till summer for you to read it._

_I am planning to revise it, though, as soon as I find time. So, I would very much appreciate it, if you could tell me what you think is missing at the ending, what I could do better or what I should chance._

_Anyway, please review the story in general, too. I'd really like to have some tips, critique, etc._


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